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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. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. drill — army training
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. can — to be able to
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. can — a tin
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. drill — the tool
  10. rash — hasty
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. drill — a practice
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. last — to go on
  17. wax — to grow
  18. rash — a series
  19. dip — to sink
  20. last — finally
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. can — a tin

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