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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.

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 · bay · lean · ball · jam · object · bear · kick

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. bear — the animal
  3. object — an aim
  4. object — to protest
  5. lean — thin
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. scale — in music
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. lean — to bend
  13. ball — a dance
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. object — a thing
  16. ball — a great time
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. scale — size or range
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. bear — the animal
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. ball — a round shape

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