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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.

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: scale · leaves · swing · ruler · calf · jam · mouse · clip

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. swing — music
  3. scale — in music
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. swing — in golf
  6. clip — a video
  7. clip — to cut
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. scale — size or range
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. swing — to play on
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. clip — for paper
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. calf — a young 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