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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: wind · mark · lean · chair · rush · mouse · ruler · wax

  1. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. lean — thin
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. rush — hurry
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. mark — a trace
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. lean — to bend
  14. chair — a leader
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. mark — a grade
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. wax — to grow
  24. wind — moving air

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