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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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 · spell · wax · track · lash · deal · lean · foot

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  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. track — a path
  2. track — to keep track
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. track — a song
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. lean — to bend
  8. spell — a short time
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. spell — letters
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. deal — to handle
  15. lean — thin
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. wax — to grow
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. spell — magic
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. foot — a measure
  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