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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. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  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. ball — a dance
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. scale — size or range
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. tube — the underground
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. rock — a stone
  13. object — an aim
  14. tube — a container
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. ball — a great time
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. object — to protest
  20. object — a thing
  21. rock — music
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. lie — to recline
  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