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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. drill — a practice
  4. track — to keep track
  5. track — a song
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. rash — hasty
  8. track — a path
  9. drill — army training
  10. wax — to grow
  11. rash — a series
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. squash — the sport
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. squash — to crush
  16. kick — in football
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. drill — the tool
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. mouse — the animal

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