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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: ball · wax · scale · net · rash · bore · kick · cabinet

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. scale — size or range
  5. rash — a series
  6. wax — to grow
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. net — in sport
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. kick — in football
  13. bore — to drill
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. ball — a great time
  18. net — after costs
  19. rash — hasty
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. scale — in music
  22. bore — to tire
  23. net — for catching
  24. ball — a dance

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