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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: bass · scale · court · squash · coach · cabinet · calf · present

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. scale — size or range
  4. squash — the sport
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. bass — low music
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. squash — to crush
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. court — for sport
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. present — the time now
  15. bass — the fish
  16. present — a gift
  17. scale — in music
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. court — of law
  23. court — of a king
  24. calf — of the leg

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