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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: bay · scale · fall · suit · calf · squash · land · plane

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. fall — to drop
  4. squash — the sport
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. land — to come down
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. land — a country
  9. squash — to crush
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. suit — in cards
  13. suit — clothes
  14. suit — to fit
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. land — ground
  21. plane — a tool
  22. scale — in music
  23. scale — size or range
  24. fall — the season

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