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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.

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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: scale · stem · wax · bay · cue · bowl · swing · board

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. wax — to grow
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. board — to get on
  8. cue — a hint
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. swing — to play on
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. scale — in music
  15. board — a committee
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. stem — to come from
  19. cue — a signal
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. cue — for pool
  22. scale — size or range
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. swing — in golf

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