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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 116 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: mouse · bulb · track · wax · kick · court · scale · ruler

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. court — of law
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. wax — to grow
  5. scale — size or range
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. scale — in music
  8. court — for sport
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. track — a song
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. bulb — for light
  16. track — a path
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. track — to keep track
  20. kick — in football
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. court — of a king
  24. mouse — the animal

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