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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 116 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: wax · suit · board · club · lean · ruler · clip · net

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. club — for dancing
  4. club — a group
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. net — in sport
  8. net — after costs
  9. clip — to cut
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. net — for catching
  13. board — a committee
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. board — to get on
  16. clip — a video
  17. suit — to fit
  18. lean — to bend
  19. suit — clothes
  20. club — for golf
  21. wax — to grow
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. clip — for paper
  24. suit — in cards

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