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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: march · swing · land · cabinet · calf · scale · vault · wax

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. march — music
  3. swing — music
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. swing — to play on
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. land — a country
  10. scale — size or range
  11. scale — in music
  12. swing — in golf
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. wax — to grow
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. vault — a safe
  18. march — the month
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. land — to come down
  21. march — the month
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. land — ground

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