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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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Word bank
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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 had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The water is too ________________.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — an illness
  2. scale — in music
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. roll — a list
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. suit — in cards
  10. cold — the Cold War
  11. pop — soda
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. cold — not warm
  15. fork — in a road
  16. roll — a cake
  17. suit — clothes
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. suit — to fit
  20. pop — music
  21. pop — to visit
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. scale — size or range
  24. calf — a young animal

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