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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: scale · perch · sharp · foot · calf · face · can · tube

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. can — a tin
  3. can — a tin
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. tube — a container
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. face — to confront
  9. can — to be able to
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. face — part of the head
  16. scale — in music
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. face — to point toward
  19. scale — size or range
  20. perch — the fish
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. tube — the underground
  24. sharp — clever

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