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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. can — a tin
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. wake — a trail
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. bank — for money
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. content — the amount
  13. bank — for money
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. bank — of a river
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. can — a tin
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. wax — to grow
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. content — happy

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