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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 · ball · plane · bass · mine · rest · present · calf

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. rest — what's left
  3. present — there
  4. bass — the fish
  5. present — the time now
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. rest — what's left
  9. mine — for digging
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. present — a gift
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. ball — a dance
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. bass — low music
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. scale — size or range
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. ball — a great time
  22. scale — in music
  23. plane — a tool
  24. rest — a break

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