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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 120 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: calf · scale · saw · mouse · degree · key · foot · wax

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. degree — an amount
  3. wax — to grow
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. saw — the tool
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. foot — a measure
  8. key — the most important part
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. degree — from a university
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. key — for a lock
  16. scale — in music
  17. key — in music
  18. scale — size or range
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. degree — temperature
  24. mouse — the animal

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