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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. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. chest — of your body
  5. object — an aim
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. object — to protest
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. track — to keep track
  13. object — a thing
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. chest — a box
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. chest — of your body
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. scale — size or range
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. track — a song
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. track — a path
  24. scale — in music

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