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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.

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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.

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: chip · saw · wax · cap · ruler · lean · wake · spring

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. wake — a trail
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. saw — the tool
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. spring — of water
  9. chip — for betting
  10. wax — to grow
  11. chip — to eat
  12. spring — the season
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. cap — a hat
  16. lean — thin
  17. cap — of ice
  18. cap — a lid
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. lean — to bend
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. saw — the tool
  24. spring — a coil

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