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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 120 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 goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. scale — in music
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. pitch — completely
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bear — the animal
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. suit — to fit
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. suit — clothes
  15. band — a ring
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. suit — in cards
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. saw — the tool
  22. band — a music group
  23. saw — the tool
  24. straw — a straw man

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