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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: fan · ruler · calf · file · hand · can · swing · wax

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. swing — in golf
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. can — a tin
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. swing — to play on
  8. can — to be able to
  9. file — a line of people
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. hand — help
  12. swing — music
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. file — a document
  17. can — a tin
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. file — a tool
  23. hand — in cards
  24. fan — a supporter

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