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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: fan · kid · bulb · stick · key · ruler · wax · scale

  1. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. key — in music
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. scale — in music
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. bulb — for light
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. kid — to tease
  15. scale — size or range
  16. kid — child
  17. wax — to grow
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. key — the most important part
  20. bulb — for light
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. key — for a lock
  24. ruler — a monarch

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