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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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. rush — to hurry
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. mug — to rob
  6. cap — of ice
  7. rock — music
  8. wax — to grow
  9. rush — hurry
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. cap — a lid
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. ground — crushed
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. ground — the earth
  16. ground — a position
  17. mug — a face
  18. mug — a cup
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. cap — a hat
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. pitcher — a jug

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