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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: lean · bore · chip · scale · hide · calf · wax · safe

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. wax — to grow
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. chip — to eat
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. lean — thin
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. scale — in music
  13. bore — to tire
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. lean — to bend
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. bore — to drill
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. chip — for betting
  22. scale — size or range
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. calf — of the leg

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