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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 · plane · wax · bulb · squash · mouse · firm · hand

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. squash — to crush
  7. hand — help
  8. scale — in music
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. firm — steady
  11. firm — a company
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. plane — a tool
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. bulb — for light
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. squash — the sport
  20. wax — to grow
  21. hand — in cards
  22. bulb — for light
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. scale — size or range

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