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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: bay · ruler · suit · stock · wind · race · present · wax

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. wax — to grow
  4. present — the time now
  5. suit — clothes
  6. wind — moving air
  7. stock — shares
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. race — a contest
  10. suit — in cards
  11. stock — goods
  12. race — humankind
  13. race — the arms race
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. present — a gift
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. wind — moving air
  23. present — there
  24. wind — to turn a key

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