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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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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: bear · key · can · wax · wake · fine · race · ruler

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. wake — a trail
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. key — for a lock
  7. can — a tin
  8. fine — all right
  9. wax — to grow
  10. bear — the animal
  11. key — in music
  12. fine — high quality
  13. key — the most important part
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. bear — the animal
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. race — a contest
  20. can — a tin
  21. race — humankind
  22. race — the arms race
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. can — to be able to

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