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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.

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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: land · scale · wax · branch · mouse · key · plane · bass

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. key — in music
  4. bass — the fish
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. bass — low music
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. branch — a division
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. wax — to grow
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. land — ground
  14. key — the most important part
  15. land — a country
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. scale — size or range
  20. key — for a lock
  21. plane — a tool
  22. scale — in music
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. land — to come down

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