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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.

Make a worksheet

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: calf · degree · perch · club · safe · scale · face · spell

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. face — to point toward
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. face — part of the head
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. degree — temperature
  9. scale — in music
  10. spell — magic
  11. degree — an amount
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. club — for dancing
  15. perch — the fish
  16. club — for golf
  17. spell — letters
  18. degree — from a university
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. scale — size or range
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. spell — a short time
  23. face — to confront
  24. safe — out of danger

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