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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: suit · sharp · wind · scale · bear · fine · lie · wax

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. suit — to fit
  3. fine — all right
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. fine — high quality
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. suit — clothes
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. sharp — clever
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. scale — in music
  14. wind — moving air
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. wax — to grow
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. wind — moving air
  20. bear — the animal
  21. suit — in cards
  22. bear — the animal
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. lie — to recline

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