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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 120 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
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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: suit · ruler · wax · hand · bore · pitch · perch · cue

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. pitch — completely
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. suit — clothes
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. suit — to fit
  7. suit — in cards
  8. cue — for pool
  9. hand — help
  10. perch — the fish
  11. hand — in cards
  12. bore — to drill
  13. cue — a signal
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. wax — to grow
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. cue — a hint
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. bore — to tire
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. bore — gave birth

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