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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. shower — rain
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. row — a line
  5. ground — crushed
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. ground — a position
  8. ground — the earth
  9. wax — to grow
  10. shower — to wash
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. row — to paddle
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. drill — the tool
  16. drill — army training
  17. drill — a practice
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. pass — a permit
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. ruler — for measuring

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