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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
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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: bank · ruler · board · file · wax · dip · nail · lie

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. wax — to grow
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. file — a document
  5. dip — to sink
  6. file — a tool
  7. file — a line of people
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. lie — to recline
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. bank — for money
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. board — to get on
  17. board — a committee
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. bank — for money
  20. bank — of a river
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. nail — for a hammer

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