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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.

Make a worksheet

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: game · scale · wake · hide · fan · rash · wax · stock

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. game — a match
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. rash — a series
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. rash — hasty
  9. game — wild animals
  10. wake — a trail
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. stock — shares
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. wax — to grow
  20. stock — goods
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. scale — size or range
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. stock — a soup base

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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