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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. spell — magic
  3. rock — a stone
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. land — a country
  6. land — ground
  7. rock — music
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. scale — size or range
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. spell — a short time
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. plane — a tool
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. land — to come down
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. wax — to grow
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. spell — letters

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