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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.

Make a worksheet

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
YesNo
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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: march · date · scale · cabinet · fan · wave · racket · calf

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. march — the month
  4. scale — in music
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. scale — size or range
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. march — the month
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. march — music
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. date — the fruit
  24. racket — for tennis

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