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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 · kick · nail · fine · safe · roll · hand · ground

  1. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. kick — in football
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. roll — a cake
  5. roll — a list
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. fine — high quality
  9. scale — in music
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. ground — crushed
  12. hand — in cards
  13. ground — a position
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. ground — the earth
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. fine — all right
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. scale — size or range

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