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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bowl · scale · mouse · staff · wax · bass · tube · spring

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. staff — employees
  3. scale — size or range
  4. tube — a container
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. spring — of water
  9. tube — the underground
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. wax — to grow
  12. staff — employees
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. spring — a coil
  15. bass — the fish
  16. staff — a stick
  17. scale — in music
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. bass — low music
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. mouse — for a computer

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