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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. squash — the sport
  3. squash — to crush
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. roll — a list
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. land — to come down
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. land — a country
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. rush — hurry
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. land — ground
  21. roll — a cake
  22. scale — size or range
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. temple — a place of worship

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