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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: calf · club · chip · scale · clip · safe · bass · coach

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. bass — low music
  4. clip — to cut
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. club — a group
  7. scale — in music
  8. chip — for betting
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. clip — a video
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. scale — size or range
  14. clip — for paper
  15. club — for dancing
  16. chip — to eat
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. bass — the fish
  20. club — for golf
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. safe — out of danger

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