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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 · suit · fine · court · calf · chair · shower · hide

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. shower — to wash
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. chair — a leader
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. court — for sport
  9. court — of a king
  10. suit — to fit
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. scale — in music
  14. fine — all right
  15. court — of law
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. suit — in cards
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. shower — rain
  20. fine — high quality
  21. suit — clothes
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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