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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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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: ruler · current · wax · rock · tear · pound · bear · staff

  1. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. bear — the animal
  4. staff — a stick
  5. current — of water
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. current — happening now
  8. staff — employees
  9. tear — to rip
  10. rock — a stone
  11. wax — to grow
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. staff — employees
  16. tear — from crying
  17. current — electric
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. pound — a weight
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. bear — the animal
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. rock — music

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