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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: ruler · drill · shower · squash · face · mark · wax · stick

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. squash — the sport
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. face — to point toward
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. drill — the tool
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. drill — army training
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. mark — a grade
  13. face — part of the head
  14. mark — a trace
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. shower — rain
  17. face — to confront
  18. drill — a practice
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. squash — to crush
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. wax — to grow
  24. shower — to wash

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