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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 120 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: foot · chair · calf · prune · scale · bay · pitcher · mate

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. mate — a friend
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. prune — to trim
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. chair — a leader
  9. mate — to breed
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. scale — size or range
  14. prune — to trim
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. foot — a measure
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. mate — a partner
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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