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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.

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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: stick · scale · mark · rule · wax · rest · cap · club

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. mark — a trace
  4. club — for dancing
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. cap — a lid
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. club — a group
  9. rule — a law
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. scale — in music
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. rest — what's left
  15. rest — a break
  16. cap — of ice
  17. scale — size or range
  18. rule — government
  19. club — for golf
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. cap — a hat
  22. mark — a grade
  23. rest — what's left
  24. wax — for sculpting

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