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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: wax · pound · game · scale · lean · mark · rash · calf

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. rash — a series
  3. game — a match
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. wax — to grow
  7. lean — to bend
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. mark — a grade
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. lean — thin
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. rash — hasty
  15. scale — size or range
  16. game — wild animals
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. mark — a trace
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. scale — in music
  22. pound — a weight
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. calf — of the leg

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