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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: snap · suit · calf · cabinet · toast · scale · pop · perch

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. toast — bread
  3. snap — to click
  4. pop — soda
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. scale — in music
  8. perch — the fish
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. suit — to fit
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. pop — to visit
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. scale — size or range
  15. pop — music
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. suit — in cards
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. suit — clothes

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