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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: bay · scale · calf · hide · leaves · toast · board · track

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. toast — bread
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. board — to get on
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. board — a committee
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. track — a song
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. track — a path
  23. scale — size or range
  24. scale — in music

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