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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 116 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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. scale — size or range
  7. wound — an injury
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. tube — a container
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. wind — moving air
  14. band — a music group
  15. tube — the underground
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. wind — moving air
  18. wound — an injury
  19. season — in sport
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. season — of the year
  22. band — a ring
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. nail — for a hammer

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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