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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. charge — electricity
  4. wax — to grow
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. board — to get on
  7. mate — to breed
  8. board — a committee
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. charge — in control
  12. mate — a partner
  13. spring — of water
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. spring — the season
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. spring — a coil
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. charge — a price
  24. mate — a friend

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