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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. can — to be able to
  3. wax — to grow
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. can — a tin
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. rock — a stone
  11. field — a subject
  12. season — in sport
  13. field — farmland
  14. court — of a king
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. field — for sport
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. season — of the year
  20. can — a tin
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. court — for sport
  23. rock — music
  24. court — of law

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