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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. kid — child
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. chest — of your body
  5. chest — a box
  6. kid — to tease
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. scale — size or range
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. bank — of a river
  11. lie — to recline
  12. firm — steady
  13. deal — to handle
  14. bank — for money
  15. spring — of water
  16. firm — decided
  17. spring — a coil
  18. bank — for money
  19. firm — a company
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. spring — the season
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. chest — of your body
  24. deal — a big deal

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