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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
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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: tube · stick · lean · rush · bay · scale · roll · calf

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. scale — in music
  4. roll — a list
  5. scale — size or range
  6. tube — the underground
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. roll — a cake
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. lean — to bend
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. rush — hurry
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. lean — thin
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. tube — a container

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