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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: rock · saw · spell · scale · bay · fall · kick · fine

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. scale — size or range
  4. spell — letters
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. rock — a stone
  7. fall — to drop
  8. rock — music
  9. fall — to drop
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. saw — the tool
  12. fine — all right
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. fall — the season
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. saw — the tool
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. fine — high quality
  19. scale — in music
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. spell — magic
  23. spell — a short time
  24. bay — a horse colour

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