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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 116 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: trunk · suit · calf · mouse · race · bat · scale · rush

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. suit — in cards
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. race — the arms race
  6. bat — the animal
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. race — humankind
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. scale — in music
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. suit — clothes
  15. race — a contest
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. scale — size or range
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. rush — hurry
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. suit — to fit

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