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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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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 · wax · bank · firm · tube · deal · fork · stand

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. tube — a container
  3. fork — in a road
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. tube — the underground
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. firm — a company
  8. stand — to bear
  9. scale — size or range
  10. scale — in music
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. bank — for money
  16. bank — for money
  17. bank — of a river
  18. firm — decided
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. deal — to handle
  23. wax — to grow
  24. fork — to eat with

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