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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 116 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.

Make a worksheet

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: chair · march · wax · safe · ruler · bore · mug · net

  1. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. net — in sport
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. march — music
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. march — the month
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. bore — to tire
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. mug — to rob
  12. chair — a leader
  13. mug — a cup
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. march — the month
  17. mug — a face
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. net — for catching
  22. wax — to grow
  23. bore — to drill
  24. safe — out of danger

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