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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: scale · march · temple · rock · wax · track · stick · present

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  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. rock — to move gently
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. track — a path
  4. scale — in music
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. scale — size or range
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. present — there
  10. rock — a stone
  11. track — to keep track
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. march — the month
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. present — a gift
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. march — music
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. rock — music
  20. march — the month
  21. wax — to grow
  22. track — a song
  23. present — the time now
  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