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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 120 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've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. scale — size or range
  4. scale — in music
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. kick — in football
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. face — to point toward
  10. ball — a great time
  11. ball — a dance
  12. face — to confront
  13. content — the amount
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. kid — child
  16. face — part of the head
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. saw — the tool
  20. saw — the tool
  21. mark — a trace
  22. mark — a grade
  23. kid — to tease
  24. content — happy

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