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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.

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: pit · scale · pass · calf · root · mark · tube · wind

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. pit — a hole
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. mark — a grade
  6. pit — in a race
  7. wind — moving air
  8. pass — a permit
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. wind — moving air
  11. tube — the underground
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. root — of a plant
  18. tube — a container
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. root — the cause
  21. scale — size or range
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. mark — a trace
  24. root — of a word

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