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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. wax — to grow
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. lean — thin
  8. rest — what's left
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. snap — to click
  11. object — to protest
  12. rest — what's left
  13. rule — government
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. rule — a law
  16. object — an aim
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. suit — clothes
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. suit — to fit
  21. rest — a break
  22. suit — in cards
  23. object — a thing
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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