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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. wax — to grow
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. rest — a break
  10. rock — a stone
  11. lie — to recline
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. rest — what's left
  14. bear — the animal
  15. rock — music
  16. last — finally
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. last — final
  19. last — to go on
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. bear — the animal
  24. rest — what's left

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