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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. cap — a lid
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. cap — a hat
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. sharp — clever
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. scale — in music
  11. roll — a list
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. staff — employees
  14. scale — size or range
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. game — a match
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. staff — a stick
  21. cap — of ice
  22. roll — a cake
  23. game — wild animals
  24. staff — employees

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