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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 did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. scale — in music
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. spell — magic
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. bulb — for light
  8. pass — a permit
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. bulb — for light
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. scale — size or range
  17. spell — a short time
  18. branch — a division
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. spell — letters
  23. plane — a tool
  24. branch — of a bank

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