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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: pop · chip · perch · calf · bank · scale · capital · leaves

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. chip — for betting
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. scale — in music
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. scale — size or range
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. bank — for money
  14. chip — to eat
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. pop — soda
  17. perch — the fish
  18. capital — a city
  19. bank — of a river
  20. capital — money
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. bank — for money
  23. pop — music
  24. pop — to visit

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