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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 120 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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. file — a document
  5. fine — high quality
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. kick — in football
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. file — a line of people
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. file — a tool
  14. wax — to grow
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. fine — all right
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. pass — a permit
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. scale — in music

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