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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. court — of law
  4. swing — music
  5. mark — a trace
  6. file — a document
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. lean — thin
  10. swing — in golf
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. mark — a grade
  13. file — a line of people
  14. swing — to play on
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. file — a tool
  17. bore — to drill
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. court — for sport
  20. court — of a king
  21. bore — to tire
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. lean — to bend
  24. scale — size or range

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