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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. scale — in music
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. mark — a trace
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. bear — the animal
  7. scale — size or range
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. mark — a grade
  12. roll — a list
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. hand — help
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. roll — a cake
  20. hand — in cards
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. bear — the animal

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