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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: pop · scale · suit · cabinet · fork · ruler · stick · calf

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. scale — size or range
  3. suit — clothes
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. pop — to visit
  6. pop — soda
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. fork — in a road
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. suit — to fit
  14. suit — in cards
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. pop — music
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. scale — in music
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. calf — a young animal

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