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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.

Make a worksheet

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: scale · shower · key · wax · fork · leaves · fan · ruler

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. wax — to grow
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. key — in music
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. scale — size or range
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. key — the most important part
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. shower — to wash
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. key — for a lock
  17. fork — in a road
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. scale — in music
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. shower — rain

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