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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
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: ruler · object · sharp · hide · wax · stem · race · roll

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. roll — a cake
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. object — a thing
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. race — humankind
  10. race — the arms race
  11. object — to protest
  12. sharp — clever
  13. stem — to come from
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. wax — to grow
  19. object — an aim
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. roll — a list
  24. ruler — a monarch

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