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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.

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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: scale · calf · swing · arm · rest · tube · roll · wax

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. rest — a break
  4. rest — what's left
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. swing — music
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. roll — a cake
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. swing — in golf
  13. swing — to play on
  14. scale — size or range
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. rest — what's left
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. scale — in music
  20. tube — a container
  21. roll — a list
  22. tube — the underground
  23. arm — a part of something
  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