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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 116 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 kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. kick — in football
  3. last — to go on
  4. last — final
  5. pass — a permit
  6. hand — help
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. suit — to fit
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. scale — in music
  13. scale — size or range
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. last — finally
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. suit — clothes
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. hand — in cards
  23. suit — in cards
  24. hide — to keep secret

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