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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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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: clip · stand · wax · shower · roll · ruler · rush · date

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. shower — rain
  4. clip — for paper
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. rush — hurry
  8. roll — a list
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. shower — to wash
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. clip — to cut
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. wax — to grow
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. date — the fruit
  22. clip — a video
  23. stand — to bear
  24. roll — a cake

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