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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 120 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: stick · wax · mark · ruler · arm · tear · present · rush

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. mark — a trace
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. wax — to grow
  6. tear — to rip
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. tear — from crying
  9. mark — a grade
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. present — the time now
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. present — there
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. tear — from crying
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. present — a gift
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. rush — hurry
  24. arm — a part of something

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