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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: present · nail · lie · bark · stick · scale

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. scale — in music
  6. present — a gift
  7. present — the time now
  8. lie — to recline
  9. present — there
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. bark — to shout
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. scale — size or range
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. stick — a piece of wood

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