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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. spring — of water
  7. race — the arms race
  8. cue — a signal
  9. rash — a series
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. race — humankind
  12. bulb — for light
  13. cue — a hint
  14. spring — the season
  15. bulb — for light
  16. cue — for pool
  17. spring — a coil
  18. rash — hasty
  19. scale — in music
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. race — a contest
  24. calf — of the leg

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