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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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. scale — size or range
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. file — a tool
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. scale — in music
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. rash — a series
  13. file — a line of people
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. pop — music
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. pop — soda
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. file — a document
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. pop — to visit

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