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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: last · wax · lean · cabinet · deal · current · ruler · file

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. deal — to handle
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. current — happening now
  7. last — finally
  8. file — a line of people
  9. lean — thin
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. last — final
  12. file — a document
  13. lean — to bend
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. current — of water
  16. wax — to grow
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. current — electric
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. file — a tool
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. last — to go on
  24. cabinet — ministers

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