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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. lean — to bend
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. lean — thin
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. kid — to tease
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. kid — child
  19. wake — a trail
  20. scale — size or range
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. lean — to rest against

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