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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 teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. stem — to come from
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. chip — to eat
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. scale — in music
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. file — a line of people
  13. file — a tool
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. chip — for betting
  16. roll — a cake
  17. file — a document
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. scale — size or range
  24. calf — a young 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