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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: perch · patient · tube · prune · scale · ruler · firm · wax

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. scale — size or range
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. firm — steady
  6. prune — to trim
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. firm — decided
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. scale — in music
  12. firm — a company
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. prune — to trim
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. perch — the fish
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. tube — the underground
  21. wax — to grow
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. tube — a container

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