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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: bark · ball · current · wake · wax · stem · ruler · rock

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. current — happening now
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. ball — a great time
  8. current — electric
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. wax — to grow
  11. current — of water
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. bark — to shout
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. rock — music
  20. rock — a stone
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. wake — a trail
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. ball — a dance

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