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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: nail · hand · scale · hide · kick · bowl · pitcher · bear

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. bear — the animal
  6. scale — size or range
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. hand — in cards
  10. kick — in football
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. scale — in music
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. hand — help

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