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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: calf · key · chip · perch · prune · ball · last · wax

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. chip — for betting
  3. perch — the fish
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. key — the most important part
  7. prune — to trim
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. ball — a great time
  10. last — final
  11. last — finally
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. key — for a lock
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. prune — to trim
  19. key — in music
  20. last — to go on
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. wax — to grow
  23. chip — to eat
  24. prune — the fruit

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