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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.

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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: wave · bear · nail · scale · pound · file · calf · mouse

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. scale — in music
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. scale — size or range
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. bear — the animal
  9. file — a line of people
  10. file — a document
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. file — a tool
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. pound — a weight
  23. bear — the animal
  24. mouse — for a computer

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