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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 120 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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. scale — in music
  4. bear — the animal
  5. lean — to bend
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. bear — the animal
  8. craft — a skill
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. craft — boats
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. scale — size or range
  19. ball — a dance
  20. kick — in football
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. ball — a great time
  23. lean — thin
  24. coach — a trainer

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