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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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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: scale · fall · rest · mouse · foot · bear · dip · calf

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. foot — a measure
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. fall — to drop
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. rest — what's left
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. scale — size or range
  12. rest — what's left
  13. bear — the animal
  14. dip — to sink
  15. fall — the season
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. scale — in music
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. fall — to drop
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. bear — the 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