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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: board · wax · bulb · ruler · tube · file · chip · wound

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. wax — to grow
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. tube — the underground
  7. file — a document
  8. file — a line of people
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. board — a committee
  11. bulb — for light
  12. file — a tool
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. bulb — for light
  17. wound — an injury
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. chip — to eat
  22. chip — for betting
  23. board — to get on
  24. wound — an injury

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