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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
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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: perch · bowl · safe · wax · calf · game · rest · bulb

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. game — wild animals
  3. bulb — for light
  4. game — a match
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. rest — a break
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. perch — the fish
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. rest — what's left
  18. bulb — for light
  19. rest — what's left
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. wax — to grow
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. calf — a young animal

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