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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 116 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: saw · calf · scale · cabinet · bowl · lie · race · racket

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  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. bowl — a football final
  2. saw — the tool
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. race — the arms race
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. lie — to recline
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. race — humankind
  17. scale — size or range
  18. scale — in music
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. race — a contest
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. saw — the tool
  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