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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: scale · rush · track · date · file · tube · racket · calf

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. rush — hurry
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. file — a line of people
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. tube — a container
  13. date — the fruit
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. track — a path
  16. track — to keep track
  17. file — a document
  18. file — a tool
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. scale — size or range
  21. track — a song
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. tube — the underground
  24. calf — of the leg

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