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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: bowl · calf · land · pound · bay · season · object · scale

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. object — an aim
  4. object — a thing
  5. scale — size or range
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. scale — in music
  8. season — of the year
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. pound — a weight
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. land — a country
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. land — to come down
  20. land — ground
  21. season — in sport
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. object — to protest
  24. bay — a horse colour

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