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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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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 · club · scale · lean · present · kick · wind · rock

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. kick — in football
  3. rock — a stone
  4. wind — moving air
  5. present — the time now
  6. rock — music
  7. club — for golf
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. wax — to grow
  12. lean — thin
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. present — there
  15. scale — size or range
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. wind — moving air
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. club — a group
  21. present — a gift
  22. lean — to bend
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. club — for dancing

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