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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: wake · wax · scale · chip · lean · temple · board · club

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. board — a committee
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. club — a group
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. scale — size or range
  7. lean — thin
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. wax — to grow
  10. scale — in music
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. wake — a trail
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. chip — for betting
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. club — for dancing
  19. lean — to bend
  20. chip — to eat
  21. board — to get on
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. club — for golf

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