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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: wind · object · wax · branch · suit · ruler · land · rash

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. wind — moving air
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. suit — in cards
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. land — ground
  10. suit — clothes
  11. object — an aim
  12. object — to protest
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. rash — a series
  15. land — a country
  16. rash — hasty
  17. suit — to fit
  18. land — to come down
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. branch — a division
  21. wind — moving air
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. wax — to grow
  24. object — a thing

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