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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: scale · march · kick · rock · pitcher · suit · lean · straw

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. lean — thin
  5. lean — to bend
  6. rock — a stone
  7. kick — in football
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. scale — size or range
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. scale — in music
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. march — music
  16. suit — in cards
  17. rock — music
  18. march — the month
  19. suit — clothes
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. suit — to fit
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. march — the month

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