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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. ball — a great time
  3. staff — employees
  4. scale — size or range
  5. suit — clothes
  6. suit — in cards
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. suit — to fit
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. staff — a stick
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. branch — a division
  15. scale — in music
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. mark — a trace
  18. staff — employees
  19. mark — a grade
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. ball — a dance
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. straw — dry grass

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