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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: fall · scale · calf · pit · saw · bound · content · game

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. pit — a hole
  3. game — wild animals
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. fall — to drop
  7. game — a match
  8. bound — tied together
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. fall — the season
  12. bound — certain
  13. content — happy
  14. saw — the tool
  15. saw — the tool
  16. pit — in a race
  17. fall — to drop
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. scale — size or range
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. content — the amount
  23. scale — in music
  24. bound — obliged

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