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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.

Make a worksheet

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: game · wax · root · scale · plane · bear · bowl · dip

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. wax — to grow
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. scale — size or range
  5. bear — the animal
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. plane — a tool
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. root — of a plant
  11. root — of a word
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. scale — in music
  14. game — a match
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. game — wild animals
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. root — the cause
  21. dip — to sink
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. wax — for sculpting

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