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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 120 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 giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. scale — in music
  6. plane — a tool
  7. ball — a great time
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. ball — a dance
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. pitch — completely
  18. scale — size or range
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. plane — in geometry

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