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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: scale · cue · can · rock · root · pass · wax · land

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. cue — a signal
  3. land — a country
  4. scale — size or range
  5. land — ground
  6. rock — a stone
  7. rock — music
  8. land — to come down
  9. can — a tin
  10. can — a tin
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. cue — a hint
  13. cue — for pool
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. root — of a plant
  17. wax — to grow
  18. pass — a permit
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. root — the cause
  22. root — of a word
  23. scale — in music
  24. rock — to move gently

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