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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: ruler · fork · fine · wax · pound · mine · lean · chip

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. wax — to grow
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. fine — high quality
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. pound — a weight
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. fork — in a road
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. chip — for betting
  15. fine — all right
  16. mine — for digging
  17. chip — to eat
  18. lean — thin
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. lean — to bend
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. ruler — for measuring

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