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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.

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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: snap · wax · capital · scale · bay · fall · mark · ruler

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. fall — to drop
  3. capital — money
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. scale — size or range
  11. capital — a city
  12. mark — a grade
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. fall — the season
  16. mark — a trace
  17. scale — in music
  18. fall — to drop
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. wax — to grow
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. snap — to click

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