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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: ground · object · perch · scale · wax · pop · trunk · foot

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. ground — the earth
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. object — an aim
  6. pop — music
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. pop — soda
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. object — to protest
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. perch — the fish
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. scale — size or range
  16. ground — a position
  17. foot — a measure
  18. ground — crushed
  19. pop — to visit
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. scale — in music
  22. wax — to grow
  23. object — a thing
  24. trunk — of a tree

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