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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. suit — in cards
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. rash — a series
  7. track — a song
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. rash — hasty
  10. rule — government
  11. track — a path
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. bore — to drill
  14. suit — to fit
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. rule — a law
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. bore — to tire
  23. suit — clothes
  24. wax — to grow

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