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

Word bank: bank · field · pop · mouse · scale · calf · wax · ground

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. scale — size or range
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. wax — to grow
  7. scale — in music
  8. pop — to visit
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. ground — crushed
  12. bank — of a river
  13. bank — for money
  14. bank — for money
  15. field — for sport
  16. ground — a position
  17. pop — soda
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. pop — music
  22. field — farmland
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. field — a subject

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