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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: bark · stand · scale · wax · ruler · object · calf · race

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. object — an aim
  3. scale — size or range
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. race — humankind
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. stand — to bear
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. race — a contest
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. bark — to shout
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. object — a thing
  18. wax — to grow
  19. scale — in music
  20. race — the arms race
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. object — to protest
  24. stand — on your feet

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