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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: kick · drill · bear · ball · rash · chip · hide · fine

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. bear — the animal
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. ball — a great time
  6. drill — army training
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. bear — the animal
  9. chip — for betting
  10. fine — all right
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. chip — to eat
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. drill — a practice
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. kick — in football
  18. ball — a dance
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. drill — the tool
  21. rash — a series
  22. rash — hasty
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. fine — high quality

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