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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: wax · scale · suit · mug · court · wound · cabinet · ground

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. court — of law
  4. scale — size or range
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. suit — clothes
  8. wound — an injury
  9. court — of a king
  10. ground — a position
  11. wax — to grow
  12. suit — in cards
  13. court — for sport
  14. mug — a face
  15. ground — the earth
  16. mug — a cup
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. scale — in music
  19. ground — crushed
  20. suit — to fit
  21. wound — an injury
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. mug — to rob
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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