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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. cap — of ice
  4. stock — shares
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. cap — a lid
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. cap — a hat
  11. race — the arms race
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. drill — army training
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. stock — goods
  18. lean — thin
  19. race — humankind
  20. drill — a practice
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. race — a contest
  23. lean — to bend
  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