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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.

Make a worksheet

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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. kick — in football
  4. toast — bread
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. scale — in music
  7. fork — in a road
  8. spell — a short time
  9. spell — magic
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. spell — letters
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. board — a committee
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. board — to get on

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