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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: toast · dip · wax · mouse · saw · ball · scale · kick

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. saw — the tool
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. scale — size or range
  7. ball — a great time
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. dip — to sink
  10. saw — the tool
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. toast — bread
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. kick — in football
  22. scale — in music
  23. wax — to grow
  24. ball — a dance

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