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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: rest · scale · pass · mouse · calf · swing · season · stock

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. scale — in music
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. swing — to play on
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. stock — shares
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. stock — goods
  9. pass — a permit
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. swing — music
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. swing — in golf
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. season — in sport
  18. season — of the year
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. scale — size or range
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. rest — a break
  23. rest — what's left
  24. rest — what's left

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