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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. When was this ________________ built?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. suit — clothes
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. kick — in football
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. kid — to tease
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. mug — to rob
  14. suit — in cards
  15. mug — a cup
  16. wax — to grow
  17. date — the fruit
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. kid — child
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. mug — a face
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. suit — to fit
  24. temple — a place of worship

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com