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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: cabinet · mouse · kick · calf · season · scale · ball · dip

  1. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. scale — in music
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. scale — size or range
  15. ball — a dance
  16. season — in sport
  17. dip — to sink
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. kick — in football
  24. ball — a great time

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