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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: bowl · nail · wax · last · ruler · stick · hand · lean

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. last — to go on
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. lean — to bend
  10. lean — thin
  11. hand — in cards
  12. last — finally
  13. last — final
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. hand — help
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. nail — for a hammer
  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