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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.

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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 · calf · bore · shower · pop · object · cabinet · fall

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. pop — music
  3. object — to protest
  4. scale — in music
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. fall — the season
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. shower — to wash
  10. shower — rain
  11. object — a thing
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. scale — size or range
  14. fall — to drop
  15. object — an aim
  16. pop — soda
  17. fall — to drop
  18. pop — to visit
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. bore — to drill
  24. bore — to tire

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