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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
468
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: cell · mark · scale · wax · band · season · lie · craft

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. band — a ring
  4. cell — a phone
  5. wax — to grow
  6. craft — a skill
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. lie — to recline
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. cell — in biology
  13. mark — a trace
  14. scale — size or range
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. season — of the year
  17. mark — a grade
  18. season — in sport
  19. craft — boats
  20. band — a music group
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. mark — to pay attention

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