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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 120 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.

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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: rush · prune · bound · pass · wax · lean · bay · scale

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. lean — to bend
  4. wax — to grow
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. scale — size or range
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. scale — in music
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. prune — to trim
  14. bound — certain
  15. rush — hurry
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. prune — to trim
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. pass — a permit
  23. lean — thin
  24. bound — tied together

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