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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: shower · calf · cap · perch · wax · press · cabinet · pitcher

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. cap — a lid
  3. cap — of ice
  4. cap — a hat
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. perch — the fish
  7. press — to push
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. shower — rain
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. press — a publisher
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. press — newspapers
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. shower — to wash
  24. wax — to grow

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