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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 · pit · wound · plane · foot · firm · nail · wax

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. wound — an injury
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. firm — steady
  9. firm — decided
  10. scale — size or range
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. foot — a measure
  14. pit — in a race
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. scale — in music
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. wound — an injury
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. pit — a hole
  22. firm — a company
  23. wax — to grow
  24. plane — a tool

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