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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: row · suit · wax · scale · bat · band · vault · mark

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. scale — size or range
  7. mark — a grade
  8. vault — a safe
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. band — a music group
  12. suit — to fit
  13. suit — clothes
  14. row — a line
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. wax — to grow
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. scale — in music
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. row — to paddle
  21. mark — a trace
  22. bat — the animal
  23. band — a ring
  24. suit — in cards

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