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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
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: present · patient · squash · calf · stock · bark · scale · cap

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. squash — to crush
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. cap — of ice
  7. bark — to shout
  8. stock — goods
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. cap — a hat
  12. squash — the sport
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. present — a gift
  16. cap — a lid
  17. stock — shares
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. present — the time now
  21. scale — size or range
  22. present — there
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. calf — of the leg

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