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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. spell — magic
  7. tube — the underground
  8. net — in sport
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. net — after costs
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. scale — in music
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. spell — a short time
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. net — for catching
  18. tube — a container
  19. chest — of your body
  20. chest — a box
  21. chest — of your body
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. spell — letters

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