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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
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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: stick · scale · cabinet · rock · key · lie · dip · lash

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. key — for a lock
  6. key — in music
  7. scale — size or range
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. rock — a stone
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. dip — to sink
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. rock — music
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. scale — in music
  22. key — the most important part
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. 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