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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: ruler · fine · wax · board · bay · arm · roll · suit

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. roll — a cake
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. suit — to fit
  5. board — a committee
  6. board — to get on
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. wax — to grow
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. roll — a list
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. fine — high quality
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. suit — clothes
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. fine — all right
  23. suit — in cards
  24. ruler — for measuring

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