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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: bay · spring · rule · rock · sharp · ruler · wax · dip

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. spring — the season
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. rule — a law
  8. wax — to grow
  9. rule — government
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. rock — music
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. spring — of water
  17. sharp — clever
  18. spring — a coil
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. rock — a stone
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. dip — to sink
  24. ruler — for measuring

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