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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: rash · kid · ruler · wax · prune · bore · coach · stand

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. prune — to trim
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. kid — child
  13. rash — a series
  14. kid — to tease
  15. rash — hasty
  16. wax — to grow
  17. bore — to tire
  18. prune — to trim
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. stand — to bear
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. bore — gave birth

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