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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: content · race · wax · rock · bore · wake · ruler · swing

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. race — a contest
  3. race — humankind
  4. rock — a stone
  5. content — the amount
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. rock — music
  8. swing — music
  9. swing — to play on
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. wax — to grow
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. bore — to drill
  21. content — happy
  22. wake — a trail
  23. race — the arms race
  24. bore — to tire

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