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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. saw — the tool
  5. saw — the tool
  6. wax — to grow
  7. file — a document
  8. cap — a lid
  9. toast — bread
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. file — a tool
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. file — a line of people
  15. pop — music
  16. cap — a hat
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. cap — of ice
  19. pop — to visit
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. pop — soda

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