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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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. wax — to grow
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. file — a line of people
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. pound — a weight
  9. bank — for money
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. drill — a practice
  12. drill — army training
  13. mark — a trace
  14. bank — of a river
  15. mark — a grade
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. file — a document
  20. drill — the tool
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. bank — for money
  23. ruler — a monarch
  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