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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: wax · row · cue · bark · racket · ruler · ball · toast

  1. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. ball — a dance
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. row — to paddle
  5. wax — to grow
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. bark — to shout
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. cue — a signal
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. cue — a hint
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. row — a line
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. cue — for pool
  24. ball — a great time

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