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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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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: kick · chip · rush · branch · wave · board · rule · wax

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. rule — a law
  3. kick — in football
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. wax — to grow
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. chip — for betting
  10. rule — government
  11. chip — to eat
  12. board — a committee
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. board — to get on
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. rush — hurry
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. branch — a division
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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