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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: wax · file · hide · board · patient · suit · club · degree

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. wax — to grow
  3. file — a line of people
  4. club — for golf
  5. file — a tool
  6. suit — in cards
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. degree — from a university
  11. club — a group
  12. file — a document
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. board — to get on
  17. suit — clothes
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. degree — an amount
  20. degree — temperature
  21. club — for dancing
  22. board — a committee
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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