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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. bass — the fish
  3. cap — a lid
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. cap — a hat
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. bass — low music
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. object — a thing
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. scale — in music
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. cap — of ice
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. game — wild animals
  18. object — to protest
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. game — a match
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. object — an aim

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