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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 moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. wax — to grow
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. key — for a lock
  7. key — in music
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bank — for money
  11. key — the most important part
  12. bear — the animal
  13. band — a music group
  14. rash — hasty
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. rash — a series
  18. band — a ring
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. bank — for money
  23. bank — of a river
  24. bear — to put up with

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