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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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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: stick · fork · wax · scale · pound · arm · court · charge

  1. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. fork — in a road
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. charge — in control
  9. wax — to grow
  10. charge — a price
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. court — of law
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. pound — a weight
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. charge — electricity
  19. court — for sport
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. scale — size or range
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. scale — in music

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