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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: bank · arm · tube · wax · wave · stand · scale · ruler

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. scale — size or range
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. stand — to bear
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. bank — of a river
  12. scale — in music
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. tube — a container
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. tube — the underground
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. bank — for money
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. bank — for money
  24. arm — part of the body

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