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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 120 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: tear · face · calf · present · scale · can · racket · ground

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. face — to point toward
  4. ground — the earth
  5. face — to confront
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. present — the time now
  9. present — there
  10. tear — from crying
  11. face — part of the head
  12. can — a tin
  13. ground — crushed
  14. can — a tin
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. tear — from crying
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. scale — size or range
  19. ground — a position
  20. can — to be able to
  21. present — a gift
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. tear — to rip
  24. scale — in music

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