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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: kick · rush · mug · wax · last · coach · can · scale

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. scale — in music
  3. last — finally
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. mug — a face
  9. last — to go on
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. mug — a cup
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. wax — to grow
  15. kick — in football
  16. mug — to rob
  17. can — a tin
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. rush — hurry
  20. last — final
  21. scale — size or range
  22. can — a tin
  23. can — to be able to
  24. kick — a thrill

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