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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.

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: scale · object · present · net · mine · fine · bear · calf

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. present — a gift
  3. mine — for digging
  4. object — to protest
  5. present — there
  6. fine — high quality
  7. present — the time now
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. object — a thing
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. bear — the animal
  13. scale — size or range
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. net — for catching
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. object — an aim
  19. bear — the animal
  20. net — after costs
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. net — in sport
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. scale — in music

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