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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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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: face · mark · chest · bay · mouse · wax · ruler · deal

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  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. mark — a grade
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. mark — a trace
  7. deal — to handle
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. chest — of your body
  10. face — to point toward
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. face — to confront
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. wax — to grow
  16. face — part of the head
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. chest — of your body
  22. chest — a box
  23. deal — a big deal
  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