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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 · row · wave · bear · capital · wax · fine

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. fine — high quality
  5. bear — the animal
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. fork — in a road
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. capital — money
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. row — a line
  12. row — to paddle
  13. wax — to grow
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. fine — all right
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. capital — a city
  24. bear — the animal

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