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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: wake · ruler · hand · spell · mouse · stock · coach · wax

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. hand — help
  3. wake — a trail
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. spell — magic
  7. wax — to grow
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. stock — shares
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. spell — letters
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. hand — in cards
  18. spell — a short time
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. stock — goods
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. mouse — the animal

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