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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: mug · clip · wax · board · branch · race · ruler · spell

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. race — a contest
  7. branch — a division
  8. board — a committee
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. clip — for paper
  11. spell — magic
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. race — humankind
  14. mug — a face
  15. spell — letters
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. clip — to cut
  18. clip — a video
  19. race — the arms race
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. mug — a cup
  22. wax — to grow
  23. board — to get on
  24. mug — to rob

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