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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: suit · tube · clip · cap · wax · safe · lash · ruler

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. clip — a video
  3. wax — to grow
  4. cap — a lid
  5. suit — in cards
  6. clip — to cut
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. cap — a hat
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. suit — to fit
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. suit — clothes
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. tube — a container
  19. clip — for paper
  20. tube — the underground
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. cap — of ice
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. safe — a strongbox

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