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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 · stand · lean · key · scale · cue · prune · nail

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. scale — in music
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. key — in music
  8. lean — to bend
  9. stand — to bear
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. cue — a hint
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. cue — a signal
  15. prune — to trim
  16. prune — to trim
  17. cue — for pool
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. wax — to grow
  22. scale — size or range
  23. key — the most important part
  24. key — for a lock

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