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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 · fan · prune · mouse · calf · snap · swing

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. ball — a dance
  6. scale — size or range
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. ball — a great time
  10. prune — to trim
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. swing — in golf
  16. swing — to play on
  17. swing — music
  18. prune — to trim
  19. scale — in music
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. snap — to click
  24. fan — a supporter

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