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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 120 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: board · calf · perch · scale · tube · deal · wind · temple

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. scale — in music
  4. perch — the fish
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. deal — to handle
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. tube — the underground
  9. wind — moving air
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. scale — size or range
  14. board — a committee
  15. wind — moving air
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. tube — a container
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. board — to get on
  24. deal — an agreement

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