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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
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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: firm · scale · wax · capital · game · stand · temple · roll

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. game — wild animals
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. stand — to bear
  6. capital — a city
  7. wax — to grow
  8. firm — a company
  9. game — a match
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. roll — a list
  14. roll — a cake
  15. capital — money
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. scale — in music
  18. scale — size or range
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. firm — steady
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. firm — decided
  24. temple — a place of worship

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