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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. scale — in music
  3. shower — rain
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. land — to come down
  7. shower — to wash
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. land — ground
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. mark — a trace
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. scale — size or range
  16. land — a country
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. rock — a stone
  19. stand — to bear
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. rock — music
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. calf — a young animal
  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