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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 120 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: firm · club · ruler · season · straw · cap · board · wax

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. firm — a company
  3. season — in sport
  4. board — a committee
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. season — of the year
  9. club — for golf
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. wax — to grow
  14. firm — steady
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. club — a group
  18. cap — a hat
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. club — for dancing
  21. firm — decided
  22. cap — of ice
  23. board — to get on
  24. wax — in the ear

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