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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's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. spell — magic
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. wax — to grow
  9. cue — a hint
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. cue — for pool
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. spell — letters
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. spell — a short time
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. cue — a signal
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. bark — to shout

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