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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 · fan · band · last · lash · leaves · chip

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. wax — to grow
  6. last — final
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. band — a ring
  12. last — finally
  13. chip — for betting
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. chip — to eat
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. band — a music group
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. last — to go on

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