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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.

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: wax · chair · ball · scale · fall · temple · rock · bulb

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. scale — size or range
  4. rock — music
  5. fall — to drop
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. chair — a leader
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. fall — to drop
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. bulb — for light
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. rock — a stone
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. ball — a dance
  18. fall — the season
  19. scale — in music
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. ball — a great time
  23. bulb — for light
  24. ball — a round shape

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