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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: scale · dip · last · lie · mouse · roll · leaves · deal

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. roll — a cake
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. roll — a list
  6. scale — size or range
  7. lie — to recline
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. last — to go on
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. dip — to sink
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. last — finally
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. last — final
  20. deal — to handle
  21. scale — in music
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. leaves — to go away

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