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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: ruler · wax · capital · stick · suit · craft

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. capital — a city
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. suit — clothes
  6. craft — boats
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. suit — in cards
  9. wax — to grow
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. capital — money
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. craft — a skill
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. suit — to fit

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