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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: lash · suit · capital · firm · track · scale · wax · bear

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. suit — clothes
  3. firm — steady
  4. track — to keep track
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. bear — the animal
  9. capital — money
  10. suit — in cards
  11. scale — in music
  12. firm — a company
  13. suit — to fit
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. scale — size or range
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. track — a path
  18. track — a song
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. capital — a city
  22. bear — the animal
  23. firm — decided
  24. scale — for weighing

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