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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.

Make a worksheet

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: ruler · fan · wax · last · row · lie · board · safe

  1. False peace will not ________________.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. wax — to grow
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. lie — to recline
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. board — to get on
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. row — a line
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. board — a committee
  16. last — finally
  17. row — to paddle
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. last — final
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. safe — out of danger

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