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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.

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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: file · bulb · wax · stick · scale · suit · race · bay

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. suit — clothes
  4. scale — size or range
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. bulb — for light
  8. file — a line of people
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. suit — to fit
  11. wax — to grow
  12. suit — in cards
  13. bulb — for light
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. race — humankind
  19. file — a tool
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. race — a contest
  22. file — a document
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. scale — in music

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