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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 120 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: ruler · lie · wax · coach · mine · pound · shower · object

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. lie — to recline
  4. object — a thing
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. mine — for digging
  7. shower — rain
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. object — to protest
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. object — an aim
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. pound — a weight
  22. shower — to wash
  23. wax — to grow
  24. pound — for dogs

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