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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: rest · scale · bank · spell · rash · wax · cell · calf

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. rash — hasty
  4. rest — a break
  5. scale — in music
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. rest — what's left
  8. bank — for money
  9. bank — for money
  10. wax — to grow
  11. bank — of a river
  12. scale — size or range
  13. cell — in biology
  14. rash — a series
  15. rest — what's left
  16. spell — magic
  17. spell — a short time
  18. spell — letters
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. cell — a phone
  24. cell — in a prison

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