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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.

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: wax · rule · scale · present · wound · suit · fan · temple

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. wound — an injury
  3. scale — size or range
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. scale — in music
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. suit — to fit
  14. present — the time now
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. suit — in cards
  17. rule — a law
  18. present — there
  19. wax — to grow
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. rule — government
  22. present — a gift
  23. wound — an injury
  24. suit — clothes

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