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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 ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. drill — the tool
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. court — for sport
  8. drill — a practice
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. rock — music
  11. perch — the fish
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. court — of law
  14. wax — to grow
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. court — of a king
  18. dip — to sink
  19. stand — to bear
  20. rock — a stone
  21. drill — army training
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. rock — to move gently

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