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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.

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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 · lie · track · shower · deal · stick · cap · calf

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. cap — a hat
  3. track — to keep track
  4. track — a path
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. cap — a lid
  11. cap — of ice
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. deal — to handle
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. shower — to wash
  16. shower — rain
  17. track — a song
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. scale — size or range
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. scale — in music
  23. lie — to recline
  24. deal — a big deal

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