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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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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: object · root · arm · last · straw · ruler · mark · wax

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. last — finally
  3. wax — to grow
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. mark — a grade
  6. object — an aim
  7. last — final
  8. object — a thing
  9. root — of a word
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. root — of a plant
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. root — the cause
  15. mark — a trace
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. object — to protest
  24. last — to go on

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