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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: spell · season · wax · band · ruler · bulb · scale · fine

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. season — of the year
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. bulb — for light
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. spell — a short time
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. fine — all right
  10. scale — in music
  11. spell — magic
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. season — in sport
  14. spell — letters
  15. bulb — for light
  16. band — a ring
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. scale — size or range
  19. fine — high quality
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. wax — to grow

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