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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: cabinet · jam · kick · board · lie · shower · scale · pitch

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. kick — in football
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. shower — to wash
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. scale — size or range
  12. board — to get on
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. board — a committee
  16. lie — to recline
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. pitch — completely
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. shower — rain
  22. scale — in music
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. kick — with a leg

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