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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: mouse · root · ruler · chair · arm · swing · wax · vault

  1. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. vault — a safe
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. swing — in golf
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. wax — to grow
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. root — of a word
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. root — of a plant
  20. swing — to play on
  21. root — the cause
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. chair — a leader
  24. swing — music

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