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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. suit — in cards
  3. court — of law
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. suit — clothes
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. scale — in music
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. court — of a king
  10. lie — to recline
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. suit — to fit
  14. court — for sport
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. squash — the sport
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. kick — in football
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. squash — to crush

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