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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: face · shower · vault · bore · ball · scale · calf · perch

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. face — to point toward
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. vault — a safe
  7. scale — size or range
  8. bore — to tire
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. shower — rain
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. perch — the fish
  15. face — part of the head
  16. ball — a dance
  17. ball — a great time
  18. face — to confront
  19. bore — to drill
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. scale — in music
  23. shower — to wash
  24. perch — for a bird

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