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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. spell — letters
  5. wax — to grow
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. stem — to come from
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. spell — a short time
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. snap — to click
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. bore — to drill
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. kick — in football
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. bore — to tire
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. spell — magic
  24. cabinet — ministers

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