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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 116 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 · wax · cell · wave · lie · mark · object · present

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. mark — a grade
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. cell — in biology
  5. lie — to recline
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. mark — a trace
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. present — there
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. cell — a phone
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. present — a gift
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. object — to protest
  18. present — the time now
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. object — an aim
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. wax — to grow
  24. lie — an untruth

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