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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 120 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 · pop · firm · charge · capital · scale · stem · ruler

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. capital — a city
  3. pop — soda
  4. scale — in music
  5. capital — money
  6. firm — decided
  7. stem — to come from
  8. charge — electricity
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. pop — music
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. charge — a price
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. firm — steady
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. scale — size or range
  21. firm — a company
  22. pop — to visit
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. charge — in control

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