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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: bank · wax · rock · cell · mark · pass · scale · object

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. wax — to grow
  4. mark — a grade
  5. scale — in music
  6. mark — a trace
  7. bank — for money
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. object — an aim
  10. cell — in biology
  11. rock — music
  12. scale — size or range
  13. pass — a permit
  14. object — to protest
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. bank — for money
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. rock — a stone
  20. object — a thing
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. cell — a phone
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. bank — of a river

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