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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.

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: vault · mine · pitcher · wax · rash · ruler · hide · file

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. file — a line of people
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. file — a tool
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. vault — a safe
  15. wax — to grow
  16. file — a document
  17. rash — hasty
  18. mine — for digging
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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