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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: row · bowl · kick · firm · charge · scale · lie · object

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. object — an aim
  3. lie — to recline
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. charge — electricity
  6. scale — size or range
  7. row — to paddle
  8. object — a thing
  9. row — a line
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. firm — steady
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. scale — in music
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. firm — decided
  16. charge — in control
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. charge — a price
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. firm — a company
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. object — to protest

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