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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. pop — soda
  3. pop — music
  4. squash — the sport
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. firm — decided
  9. scale — size or range
  10. pop — to visit
  11. capital — a city
  12. kick — in football
  13. scale — in music
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. firm — steady
  17. squash — to crush
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. capital — money
  22. lie — to recline
  23. firm — a company
  24. nail — for a hammer

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