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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: rule · wax · board · cap · racket · march · leaves · can

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. can — a tin
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. rule — government
  5. can — to be able to
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. wax — to grow
  8. cap — of ice
  9. rule — a law
  10. march — the month
  11. cap — a hat
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. can — a tin
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. board — a committee
  18. march — music
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. board — to get on
  22. march — the month
  23. cap — a lid
  24. leaves — of a tree

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