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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.

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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: scale · snap · wax · bay · last · mate · fan · stick

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. last — finally
  3. mate — a partner
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. scale — size or range
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. last — final
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. scale — in music
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. snap — to click
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. last — to go on
  21. mate — to breed
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. wax — to grow
  24. mate — a friend

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