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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. rash — hasty
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. wax — to grow
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. fork — in a road
  8. ground — the earth
  9. ground — a position
  10. stem — to come from
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. rash — a series
  15. board — a committee
  16. date — the fruit
  17. ground — crushed
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. board — to get on
  24. rash — on the skin

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