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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. wound — an injury
  3. scale — in music
  4. stand — to bear
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. spell — a short time
  7. firm — a company
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. spell — magic
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. scale — size or range
  14. kick — in football
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. firm — steady
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. firm — decided
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. spell — letters
  24. wound — an injury

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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