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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  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. lie — an untruth
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. roll — a cake
  4. mate — a partner
  5. fork — in a road
  6. scale — in music
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. roll — a list
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. mate — to breed
  11. mate — a friend
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. stock — goods
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. lie — to recline
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. stock — shares
  23. fork — a garden tool
  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