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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.

Make a worksheet

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: squash · pitcher · wax · bark · chip · firm · kick · court

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. kick — in football
  3. bark — to shout
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. squash — to crush
  6. firm — steady
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. firm — decided
  13. court — of law
  14. chip — for betting
  15. firm — a company
  16. court — for sport
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. wax — to grow
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. squash — the sport
  21. court — of a king
  22. chip — to eat
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. wax — for sculpting

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