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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.

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: current · mouse · calf · roll · scale · straw · spell · fine

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  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 — in music
  2. current — happening now
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. scale — size or range
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. fine — all right
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. roll — a cake
  12. current — of water
  13. spell — a short time
  14. current — electric
  15. roll — a list
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. spell — letters
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. spell — magic
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. fine — high quality
  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