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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 120 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: bay · content · board · press · pass · cue · scale · calf

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  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. calf — a young animal
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. scale — size or range
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. content — the amount
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. content — happy
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. pass — a permit
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. board — to get on
  16. scale — in music
  17. cue — for pool
  18. press — a publisher
  19. cue — a signal
  20. board — a committee
  21. press — newspapers
  22. press — to push
  23. cue — a hint
  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