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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: wax · track · band · patient · mouse · scale · club · vault

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. club — for golf
  4. scale — in music
  5. track — a song
  6. club — for dancing
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. wax — to grow
  12. band — a ring
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. track — a path
  15. scale — size or range
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. vault — a safe
  21. track — to keep track
  22. band — a music group
  23. club — a group
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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