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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 museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. track — to keep track
  4. court — of law
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. rock — music
  7. dip — to sink
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. rest — what's left
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. track — a song
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. rock — a stone
  19. rest — what's left
  20. wax — to grow
  21. track — a path
  22. rest — a break
  23. court — for sport
  24. court — of a king

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