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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 · object · bulb · saw · perch · calf · mouse · spring

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. saw — the tool
  3. saw — the tool
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. bulb — for light
  6. spring — the season
  7. wax — to grow
  8. object — a thing
  9. bulb — for light
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. spring — a coil
  14. object — to protest
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. object — an aim
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. perch — the fish
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. spring — of water
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. calf — a young animal

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