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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. field — farmland
  6. field — a subject
  7. scale — in music
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. ball — a dance
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. land — to come down
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. kick — in football
  14. wax — to grow
  15. field — for sport
  16. land — a country
  17. scale — size or range
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. ball — a great time
  24. land — ground

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