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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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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: wax · ruler · bore · lean · tear · deal

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. wax — to grow
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. bore — to drill
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. lean — thin
  9. lean — to bend
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. tear — from crying
  12. bore — to tire
  13. tear — to rip
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. tear — from crying
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. deal — to handle
  18. deal — an agreement

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