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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 116 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: prune · deal · wax · bay · scale · bowl · cabinet · straw

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. prune — to trim
  3. wax — to grow
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. deal — to handle
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. prune — to trim
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. scale — in music
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. scale — size or range
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. straw — dry grass

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