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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: bay · ruler · chest · lash · charge · ground · wax · tube

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. chest — of your body
  4. ground — the earth
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. tube — the underground
  9. tube — a container
  10. chest — a box
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. wax — to grow
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. ground — a position
  15. chest — of your body
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. charge — a price
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. ground — crushed
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. charge — in control
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. charge — electricity
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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