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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: scale · foot · mine · calf · vault · hide · race · date

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. race — humankind
  3. scale — in music
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. scale — size or range
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. race — a contest
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. race — the arms race
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. vault — a safe
  12. date — the fruit
  13. mine — for digging
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. foot — a measure

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