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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: wax · cap · last · scale · chip · lie · rule · pitcher

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. scale — size or range
  3. cap — of ice
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. last — finally
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. chip — for betting
  9. lie — to recline
  10. rule — government
  11. rule — a law
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. last — to go on
  14. scale — in music
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. wax — to grow
  19. chip — to eat
  20. last — final
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. cap — a lid
  24. cap — a hat

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