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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. suit — to fit
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. object — a thing
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. mate — a friend
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. scale — in music
  15. shower — rain
  16. suit — in cards
  17. suit — clothes
  18. object — to protest
  19. mate — a partner
  20. object — an aim
  21. shower — to wash
  22. mate — to breed
  23. wax — to grow
  24. ruler — a monarch

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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