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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · net · wax · firm · season · rule · rock · fall

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. season — in sport
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. net — for catching
  5. net — in sport
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. fall — to drop
  8. wax — to grow
  9. season — of the year
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. net — after costs
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. rock — a stone
  14. rule — government
  15. rock — music
  16. firm — steady
  17. firm — a company
  18. fall — the season
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. fall — to drop
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. firm — decided

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