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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: can · stick · wax · scale · leaves · wind · pitcher · ruler

  1. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  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. wind — moving air
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. can — a tin
  12. wind — moving air
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. scale — size or range
  16. wax — to grow
  17. can — to be able to
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. can — a tin
  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