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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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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: mug · bore · lean · scale · wax · deal · calf · squash

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. scale — in music
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. mug — a face
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. bore — to tire
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. scale — size or range
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. lean — to bend
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. squash — the sport
  13. bore — to drill
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. deal — to handle
  18. mug — to rob
  19. wax — to grow
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. lean — thin
  22. mug — a cup
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. bore — gave birth

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