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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: wax · fall · scale · mark · rush · spell · spring · can

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. mark — a grade
  3. spring — a coil
  4. fall — to drop
  5. spell — letters
  6. fall — to drop
  7. can — to be able to
  8. spell — magic
  9. spring — of water
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. scale — in music
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. spell — a short time
  14. spring — the season
  15. wax — to grow
  16. can — a tin
  17. scale — size or range
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. fall — the season
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. can — a tin
  24. rush — hurry

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