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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: pass · fall · press · scale · degree · key · cabinet · wax

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. press — a publisher
  4. fall — the season
  5. key — in music
  6. scale — size or range
  7. degree — temperature
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. pass — a permit
  10. fall — to drop
  11. press — newspapers
  12. press — to push
  13. wax — to grow
  14. degree — from a university
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. fall — to drop
  18. key — for a lock
  19. key — the most important part
  20. degree — an amount
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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