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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.

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: prune · stock · wax · lash · scale · deal · board · ruler

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. prune — to trim
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. prune — to trim
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. board — to get on
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. board — a committee
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. scale — in music
  13. stock — shares
  14. stock — goods
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. scale — size or range
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. deal — to handle
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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