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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: scale · mine · arm · bowl · toast · bound · calf · chest

  1. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. chest — a box
  3. chest — of your body
  4. bound — tied together
  5. scale — size or range
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. bound — obliged
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. mine — for digging
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. scale — in music
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. chest — of your body
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. bound — certain
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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