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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. spell — a short time
  7. kid — child
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. wax — to grow
  10. kick — in football
  11. mug — a cup
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. band — a music group
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. spell — magic
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. mug — to rob
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. kid — to tease
  20. band — a ring
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. spell — letters
  23. foot — a measure
  24. mug — a face

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