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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. hand — in cards
  3. suit — clothes
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. lean — thin
  6. drill — the tool
  7. hand — help
  8. can — a tin
  9. drill — army training
  10. suit — in cards
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. bat — the animal
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. can — a tin
  19. suit — to fit
  20. wax — to grow
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. lean — to bend
  23. can — to be able to
  24. wax — in the ear

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