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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: arm · dip · wax · craft · rock · sharp · ruler · clip

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. craft — boats
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. sharp — clever
  10. clip — a video
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. wax — to grow
  15. dip — to sink
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. clip — to cut
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. rock — music
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. rock — a stone
  23. craft — a skill
  24. clip — for paper

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