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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.

Make a worksheet

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: field · content · can · rest · calf · fine · perch · wax

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. field — for sport
  3. rest — a break
  4. rest — what's left
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. can — a tin
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. fine — all right
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. perch — the fish
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. field — farmland
  15. fine — high quality
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. field — a subject
  18. content — the amount
  19. can — a tin
  20. content — happy
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. rest — what's left
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. wax — to grow

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