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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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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 · bowl · tear · ruler · lie · bay

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. tear — from crying
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. tear — from crying
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. lie — to recline
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. wax — to grow
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. tear — to rip

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