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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
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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 · squash · toast · deal · row · racket · calf · shower

  1. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. squash — to crush
  8. shower — rain
  9. scale — in music
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. scale — size or range
  13. shower — to wash
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. toast — bread
  16. deal — to handle
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. row — to paddle
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. row — a line
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. scale — for weighing

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