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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.

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: scale · chip · kick · mark · wound · hide · suit · key

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. chip — for betting
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. suit — to fit
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. wound — an injury
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. key — the most important part
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. kick — in football
  11. suit — clothes
  12. key — for a lock
  13. mark — a trace
  14. wound — an injury
  15. suit — in cards
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. mark — a grade
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. key — in music
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. scale — size or range
  24. chip — to eat

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