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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
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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: calf · bore · scale · present · fan · perch · field · march

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. march — the month
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. field — a subject
  5. bore — to tire
  6. scale — in music
  7. perch — the fish
  8. present — the time now
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. field — farmland
  11. field — for sport
  12. present — there
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. scale — size or range
  15. march — the month
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. bore — to drill
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. march — music
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. present — a gift
  24. fan — to cool the air

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