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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
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: scale · wax · ball · safe · season · bound · present · tube

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. present — a gift
  3. present — the time now
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. scale — size or range
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. ball — a dance
  8. present — there
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. season — of the year
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. ball — a great time
  14. bound — certain
  15. wax — to grow
  16. scale — in music
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. bound — tied together
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. tube — the underground
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. tube — a container
  24. bound — obliged

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