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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 · lean · content · calf · tear · ball · vault · bore

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. lean — to bend
  3. tear — from crying
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. content — happy
  6. scale — in music
  7. tear — from crying
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. lean — thin
  10. bore — to drill
  11. scale — size or range
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. vault — a safe
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. bore — to tire
  17. ball — a great time
  18. tear — to rip
  19. ball — a dance
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. content — the amount
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. scale — for weighing

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