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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: mate · wax · nail · toast · bound · wound · cue · scale

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. mate — to breed
  3. cue — for pool
  4. bound — obliged
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. cue — a signal
  8. wound — an injury
  9. wound — an injury
  10. scale — size or range
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. bound — tied together
  13. mate — a friend
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. toast — bread
  16. bound — certain
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. wax — to grow
  19. mate — a partner
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. cue — a hint
  22. scale — in music
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. nail — for a hammer

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