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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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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: rule · scale · fan · suit · branch · racket · wax · cabinet

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. scale — size or range
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. suit — clothes
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. rule — government
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. rule — a law
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. wax — to grow
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. branch — a division
  18. scale — in music
  19. suit — in cards
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. suit — to fit
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. wax — in the ear

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