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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: calf · rest · pop · perch · lie · bulb · rock · wave

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  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. calf — a young animal
  2. rock — music
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. pop — soda
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. rest — what's left
  8. perch — the fish
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. pop — music
  13. lie — to recline
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. bulb — for light
  17. rest — what's left
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. rest — a break
  22. rock — a stone
  23. perch — for a bird
  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