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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 giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. fine — high quality
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. scale — in music
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. season — of the year
  9. fall — the season
  10. fine — all right
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. scale — size or range
  17. season — in sport
  18. fall — to drop
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. fall — to drop
  24. nail — for a hammer

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