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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: pass · scale · firm · temple · sharp · file · roll · wax

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. roll — a list
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. firm — decided
  6. file — a tool
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. file — a line of people
  10. pass — a permit
  11. scale — in music
  12. wax — to grow
  13. firm — steady
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. roll — a cake
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. scale — size or range
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. firm — a company
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. file — a document

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