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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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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: lie · nail · pitcher · scale · row · ball · object · present

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. present — a gift
  3. row — to paddle
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. scale — size or range
  6. present — there
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. object — to protest
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. lie — to recline
  15. present — the time now
  16. ball — a great time
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. row — a line
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. object — an aim
  23. scale — in music
  24. ball — a dance

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