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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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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: mate · wax · kid · rash · pass · ruler · spell · mark

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. mark — a grade
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. kid — child
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. kid — to tease
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. spell — letters
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. rash — hasty
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. mate — to breed
  15. spell — a short time
  16. pass — a permit
  17. rash — a series
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. mate — a partner
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. mate — a friend
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. mark — a trace
  24. spell — magic

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