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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: cap · mouse · wax · rule · snap · lean · drill · suit

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. cap — of ice
  3. snap — to click
  4. drill — a practice
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. suit — to fit
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. drill — army training
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. wax — to grow
  11. drill — the tool
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. rule — government
  15. lean — thin
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. cap — a hat
  19. rule — a law
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. lean — to bend
  22. suit — clothes
  23. cap — a lid
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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