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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: pit · calf · spring · rest · kick · scale · lean · wax

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. wax — to grow
  6. pit — in a race
  7. rest — a break
  8. kick — in football
  9. lean — thin
  10. spring — of water
  11. pit — a hole
  12. lean — to bend
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. rest — what's left
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. rest — what's left
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. scale — in music
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. spring — the season
  22. spring — a coil
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. scale — size or range

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