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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 116 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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. staff — a stick
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. rest — what's left
  6. scale — size or range
  7. scale — in music
  8. rest — a break
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. track — a song
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. tube — a container
  15. perch — the fish
  16. staff — employees
  17. rest — what's left
  18. track — to keep track
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. track — a path
  23. staff — employees
  24. bowl — a dish

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