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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: wax · calf · spring · tube · object · deal · scale · coach

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. wax — to grow
  4. scale — in music
  5. tube — a container
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. object — a thing
  9. spring — a coil
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. tube — the underground
  13. object — an aim
  14. deal — to handle
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. spring — of water
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. scale — size or range
  21. spring — the season
  22. object — to protest
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. deal — an agreement

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