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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: roll · scale · bulb · board · rock · calf · wax · face

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. bulb — for light
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. bulb — for light
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. face — part of the head
  7. roll — a list
  8. face — to point toward
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. face — to confront
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. rock — a stone
  14. rock — music
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. wax — to grow
  17. board — a committee
  18. scale — in music
  19. board — to get on
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. scale — size or range
  24. bulb — of a plant

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