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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 116 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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. wound — an injury
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. ground — crushed
  5. ground — the earth
  6. ground — a position
  7. wound — an injury
  8. degree — temperature
  9. mug — to rob
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. bore — to drill
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. wax — to grow
  15. chair — a leader
  16. mug — a face
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. degree — an amount
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. degree — from a university
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. bore — to tire
  24. mug — a cup

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