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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: ball · wind · calf · scale · date · object · rash · key

  1. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. key — the most important part
  4. date — the fruit
  5. scale — in music
  6. rash — a series
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. object — an aim
  9. key — in music
  10. wind — moving air
  11. key — for a lock
  12. scale — size or range
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. ball — a great time
  15. wind — moving air
  16. ball — a dance
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. object — a thing
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. rash — hasty
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. object — to protest
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. rash — on the skin

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