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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 116 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: ball · bore · kick · fall · key · pitcher · object · scale

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. key — the most important part
  3. fall — to drop
  4. kick — in football
  5. scale — in music
  6. fall — the season
  7. ball — a great time
  8. bore — to drill
  9. object — to protest
  10. key — in music
  11. scale — size or range
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. object — an aim
  16. bore — to tire
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. key — for a lock
  20. ball — a dance
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. object — a thing
  23. fall — to drop
  24. pitcher — a jug

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