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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: face · last · nail · mine · ruler · wax · mouse · stand

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. face — part of the head
  3. wax — to grow
  4. stand — to bear
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. mine — for digging
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. last — finally
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. last — final
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. last — to go on
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. face — to point toward
  24. face — to confront

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