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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. saw — the tool
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. saw — the tool
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. kick — in football
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. wound — an injury
  16. lie — to recline
  17. scale — in music
  18. deal — to handle
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. wound — an injury

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