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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.

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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: perch · board · current · ruler · suit · tear · wax · rest

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. board — to get on
  5. suit — in cards
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. rest — a break
  8. current — electric
  9. tear — to rip
  10. board — a committee
  11. tear — from crying
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. suit — to fit
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. suit — clothes
  17. wax — to grow
  18. perch — the fish
  19. tear — from crying
  20. current — happening now
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. rest — what's left
  23. current — of water
  24. rest — what's left

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