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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: wax · temple · bat · racket · ruler · rash · nail · mark

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. wax — to grow
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. rash — a series
  6. rash — hasty
  7. mark — a trace
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. bat — the animal
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. mark — a grade

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