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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 120 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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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: squash · rule · bank · bear · pass · scale · calf · chair

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. scale — in music
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. rule — a law
  7. chair — a leader
  8. scale — size or range
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. bank — for money
  13. bear — the animal
  14. rule — government
  15. squash — the sport
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. bank — for money
  20. pass — a permit
  21. bank — of a river
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. squash — to crush
  24. calf — a young animal

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