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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. drill — a practice
  3. ball — a great time
  4. lean — to bend
  5. cue — a hint
  6. drill — the tool
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. cue — for pool
  9. ground — a position
  10. kick — in football
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. lean — thin
  14. bank — of a river
  15. ball — a dance
  16. drill — army training
  17. bank — for money
  18. ground — crushed
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. bank — for money
  22. cue — a signal
  23. ground — the earth
  24. stand — to bear

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