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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 116 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: rock · pound · rest · straw · stand · wax · bay · ruler

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  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. ruler — for measuring
  2. rock — music
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. wax — to grow
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. pound — a weight
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. rest — what's left
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. rest — a break
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. stand — to bear
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. rock — a stone
  23. rest — what's left
  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