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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.

Make a worksheet

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: calf · march · scale · wave · firm · saw · hand · stick

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. firm — decided
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. firm — a company
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. saw — the tool
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. hand — in cards
  11. march — music
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. hand — help
  14. march — the month
  15. march — the month
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. scale — in music
  21. scale — size or range
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. saw — the tool

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