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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: scale · chip · ground · stand · racket · ball · fan · kick

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. scale — in music
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. kick — in football
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. ground — the earth
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. ball — a great time
  17. ball — a dance
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. stand — to bear
  20. chip — to eat
  21. ground — a position
  22. chip — for betting
  23. ground — crushed
  24. racket — for tennis

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