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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 120 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: wax · bank · dip · ruler · fork · rash · pound · mouse

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. rash — a series
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. rash — hasty
  14. wax — to grow
  15. bank — for money
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. fork — in a road
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. dip — to sink
  22. pound — a weight
  23. bank — of a river
  24. bank — for money

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