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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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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: rule · wax · trunk · band · ruler · staff · game · bay

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. game — wild animals
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. staff — a stick
  7. band — a ring
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. staff — employees
  10. band — a music group
  11. rule — government
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. rule — a law
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. game — a match
  20. staff — employees
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. wax — to grow
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. band — a rubber band

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