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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 116 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.

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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: track · shower · chip · bay · present · nail · scale · calf

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. chip — to eat
  3. shower — to wash
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. shower — rain
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. present — there
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. present — a gift
  13. present — the time now
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. track — to keep track
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. track — a song
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. chip — for betting
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. scale — in music
  22. track — a path
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. scale — size or range

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