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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: ruler · lash · safe · scale · wax · row · wake · court

  1. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. row — to paddle
  3. row — a line
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. court — for sport
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. court — of a king
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. scale — size or range
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. scale — in music
  22. wax — to grow
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. wake — a trail

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