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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. pop — music
  3. pop — soda
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. ground — the earth
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. mug — to rob
  11. wax — to grow
  12. mug — a cup
  13. ground — crushed
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. ground — a position
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. pop — to visit
  23. mug — a face
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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