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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: mate · hide · rush · wax · ruler · wake · deal · ball

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. wax — to grow
  4. deal — to handle
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. mate — to breed
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. rush — hurry
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. mate — a friend
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. ball — a great time
  19. wake — a trail
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. ball — a dance
  24. mate — a partner

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