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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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. bank — for money
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. face — part of the head
  6. scale — in music
  7. face — to confront
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. face — to point toward
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. kick — in football
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. bank — of a river
  20. wound — an injury
  21. deal — to handle
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. scale — size or range
  24. bank — for money

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