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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 · ruler · content · cabinet · stick · pound

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. pound — a weight
  9. content — happy
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. content — the amount
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. wax — to grow
  18. wax — in the ear

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