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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: jam · wax · squash · pitch · bark · perch · calf · can

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. wax — to grow
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. can — a tin
  9. squash — to crush
  10. can — a tin
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. perch — the fish
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. can — to be able to
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. pitch — completely
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. squash — the sport
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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