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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. rock — a stone
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. suit — in cards
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. wax — to grow
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. rock — music
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. suit — clothes
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. current — of water
  17. degree — temperature
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. degree — an amount
  21. current — happening now
  22. suit — to fit
  23. current — electric
  24. degree — from a university

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