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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 · suit · squash · fall · can · drill · lean · board

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. can — a tin
  3. squash — the sport
  4. fall — to drop
  5. fall — the season
  6. can — to be able to
  7. board — a committee
  8. suit — in cards
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. drill — army training
  13. drill — the tool
  14. suit — clothes
  15. board — to get on
  16. lean — to bend
  17. fall — to drop
  18. squash — to crush
  19. wax — to grow
  20. suit — to fit
  21. can — a tin
  22. drill — a practice
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. squash — the vegetable

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