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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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468
Word bank
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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. scale — in music
  3. scale — size or range
  4. hand — in cards
  5. track — to keep track
  6. bulb — for light
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. rest — what's left
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. hand — help
  11. tube — a container
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. rest — a break
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. tube — the underground
  17. track — a song
  18. track — a path
  19. lie — to recline
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. kick — in football
  22. bulb — for light
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. rest — what's left

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