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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.

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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. hand — help
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. perch — the fish
  7. hand — in cards
  8. key — the most important part
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. key — for a lock
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. lean — to bend
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. ball — a dance
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. vault — a safe
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. ball — a great time
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. lean — thin
  23. foot — a measure
  24. key — in music

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