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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: safe · nail · spring · wax · mark · prune · mouse · scale

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. prune — to trim
  6. prune — to trim
  7. spring — of water
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. mark — a grade
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. spring — a coil
  13. wax — to grow
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. scale — size or range
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. mark — a trace
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. spring — the season
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. scale — in music

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