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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: wax · ruler · board · can · clip · bank · hide · roll

  1. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. clip — to cut
  3. bank — for money
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. board — a committee
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. clip — for paper
  10. can — a tin
  11. roll — a cake
  12. wax — to grow
  13. can — to be able to
  14. roll — a list
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. can — a tin
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. bank — of a river
  20. board — to get on
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. bank — for money
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. wax — in the ear

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