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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: suit · hand · pound · cell · scale · branch · cabinet · calf

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. suit — clothes
  4. pound — a weight
  5. suit — in cards
  6. scale — in music
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. cell — a phone
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. branch — a division
  15. hand — help
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. hand — in cards
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. cell — in biology
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. suit — to fit
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. branch — of a bank

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