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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: vault · wax · bowl · dip · ruler · scale

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. wax — to grow
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. dip — to sink
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. scale — in music
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. vault — a safe
  18. 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