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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: bulb · calf · scale · pitcher · deal · squash · file · wave

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. bulb — for light
  4. file — a document
  5. squash — the sport
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. file — a line of people
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. bulb — for light
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. scale — in music
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. deal — to handle
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. squash — to crush
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. scale — size or range
  24. file — a tool

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