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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: leaves · pitcher · ground · rest · wax · rock · foot · rule

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. ground — a position
  4. rule — government
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. rock — music
  8. rest — a break
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. ground — the earth
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. rest — what's left
  13. wax — to grow
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. rock — a stone
  17. rest — what's left
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. foot — a measure
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. ground — crushed
  24. rule — a law

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