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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: bulb · board · toast · game · wax · rule · leaves · band

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. band — a music group
  4. bulb — for light
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. board — to get on
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. band — a ring
  17. game — a match
  18. rule — government
  19. wax — to grow
  20. toast — bread
  21. rule — a law
  22. bulb — for light
  23. game — wild animals
  24. wax — in the ear

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