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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 people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. suit — to fit
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. roll — a cake
  8. suit — clothes
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. bore — to drill
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. roll — a list
  15. ground — crushed
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. bore — to tire
  18. ground — the earth
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. wax — to grow
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. suit — in cards
  24. ground — a position

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