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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 · press · bay · wind · foot · ball · roll · calf

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. scale — in music
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. press — a publisher
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. press — to push
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. scale — size or range
  11. ball — a dance
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. wind — moving air
  15. roll — a list
  16. press — newspapers
  17. foot — a measure
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. roll — a cake
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. ball — a great time
  22. wind — moving air
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. ball — a round shape

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