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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 116 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 · wax · rest · bark · rush · dip · stick · pass

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  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. pass — to spend time
  2. rest — a break
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. rest — what's left
  5. dip — to sink
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. rest — what's left
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. wax — to grow
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. bark — to shout
  19. pass — a permit
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. rush — hurry
  23. rush — to hurry
  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