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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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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: cold · chip · bass · ruler · leaves · bay · calf · scale

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. The water is too ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. bass — low music
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. scale — in music
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. scale — size or range
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. bass — the fish
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. chip — for betting
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. cold — an illness
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. cold — the Cold War
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. chip — to eat
  24. cold — not warm

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