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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. bear — the animal
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. scale — in music
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. bear — the animal
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. coach — a trainer

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