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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 116 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: wax · fan · branch · suit · last · tear · ruler · current

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. last — to go on
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. current — electric
  5. current — of water
  6. tear — to rip
  7. current — happening now
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. last — final
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. branch — a division
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. tear — from crying
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. suit — in cards
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. tear — from crying
  21. last — finally
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. wax — to grow
  24. suit — clothes

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