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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: mouse · calf · scale · fall · key · sharp · craft · game

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. game — a match
  3. scale — size or range
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. fall — to drop
  9. sharp — clever
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. key — in music
  14. game — wild animals
  15. scale — in music
  16. key — the most important part
  17. craft — boats
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. fall — to drop
  20. key — for a lock
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. craft — a skill
  23. fall — the season
  24. mouse — 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