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

Word bank: ruler · file · wax · toast · nail · band · pass · rest

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. band — a ring
  4. rest — what's left
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. rest — what's left
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. pass — a permit
  10. rest — a break
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. file — a document
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. wax — to grow
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. file — a tool
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. toast — bread
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. band — a music group
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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