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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
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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: can · bank · wax · wave · pitcher · sharp · date · scale

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. can — to be able to
  3. bank — of a river
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. scale — size or range
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. sharp — clever
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. bank — for money
  13. can — a tin
  14. bank — for money
  15. scale — in music
  16. wax — to grow
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. date — the fruit
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. can — a tin
  24. pitcher — a jug

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