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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
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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: bear · roll · bore · scale · cabinet · ball · calf · cap

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. roll — a list
  5. ball — a great time
  6. cap — of ice
  7. roll — a cake
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. scale — in music
  10. ball — a dance
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. bore — to drill
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. cap — a hat
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. scale — size or range
  23. cap — a lid
  24. scale — for weighing

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