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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.

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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: wax · rest · fine · fork · scale · club · suit · lash

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. rest — what's left
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. club — for dancing
  5. club — for golf
  6. wax — to grow
  7. rest — what's left
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. fine — all right
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. suit — in cards
  14. fork — in a road
  15. scale — in music
  16. scale — size or range
  17. rest — a break
  18. fine — high quality
  19. suit — clothes
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. suit — to fit
  24. club — a group

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