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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. scale — in music
  3. club — a group
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bear — the animal
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. ball — a dance
  13. pass — a permit
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. club — for dancing
  18. ball — a great time
  19. bat — the animal
  20. club — for golf
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. scale — size or range
  24. scale — for weighing

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