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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 120 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: scale · coach · wax · safe · band · press · trunk · ruler

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. scale — in music
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. press — to push
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. press — a publisher
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. band — a music group
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. press — newspapers
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. band — a ring
  19. wax — to grow
  20. scale — size or range
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. wax — for sculpting

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