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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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. stand — to bear
  4. shower — to wash
  5. present — there
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. fork — in a road
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. present — the time now
  14. wax — to grow
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. shower — rain
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. dip — to sink
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. present — a gift
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. fork — a garden tool

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