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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 kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. spell — magic
  4. bark — to shout
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. scale — in music
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. spell — letters
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. spell — a short time
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. scale — size or range
  18. tear — from crying
  19. tear — from crying
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. tear — to rip
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. mouse — the 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