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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: pit · wax · game · ruler · temple · board · shower · date

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. date — the fruit
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. board — to get on
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. shower — to wash
  10. board — a committee
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. shower — rain
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. game — a match
  16. wax — to grow
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. pit — a hole
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. pit — in a race
  24. temple — a place of worship

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