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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
YesNo
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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: perch · wax · tube · pit · scale · calf · present · roll

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. pit — in a race
  3. present — there
  4. tube — a container
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. pit — a hole
  10. scale — size or range
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. perch — the fish
  13. roll — a cake
  14. present — a gift
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. tube — the underground
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. wax — to grow
  20. present — the time now
  21. roll — a list
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. calf — of the leg

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