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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 116 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: mate · pitcher · fall · ruler · wax · lash · fine · scale

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. mate — a partner
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. fine — high quality
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. fall — to drop
  10. scale — in music
  11. mate — a friend
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. mate — to breed
  14. fall — the season
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. fall — to drop
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. wax — to grow
  23. fine — all right
  24. scale — size or range

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