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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  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. scale — size or range
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. swing — to play on
  5. snap — to click
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. swing — music
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. swing — in golf
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. scale — in music
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. vault — a safe
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. scale — for weighing
  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