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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: foot · straw · drill · ruler · plane · rush · wax · saw

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. plane — a tool
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. drill — a practice
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. saw — the tool
  10. saw — the tool
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. wax — to grow
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. rush — hurry
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. foot — a measure
  23. drill — the tool
  24. wax — for sculpting

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