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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
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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: content · rest · wax · cue · scale · firm · trunk · craft

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. cue — a hint
  3. firm — steady
  4. scale — size or range
  5. craft — boats
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. scale — in music
  9. firm — a company
  10. content — happy
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. wax — to grow
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. cue — for pool
  15. firm — decided
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. content — the amount
  20. cue — a signal
  21. rest — a break
  22. rest — what's left
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. rest — what's left

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