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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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. rush — hurry
  3. rash — hasty
  4. shower — rain
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. staff — employees
  8. bore — to drill
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. lie — to recline
  12. staff — a stick
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. rash — a series
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. wax — to grow
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. shower — to wash
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. bore — to tire
  23. staff — employees
  24. bore — gave birth

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