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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: deal · press · temple · roll · scale · lie · kick · land

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. press — to push
  3. lie — to recline
  4. press — newspapers
  5. scale — in music
  6. kick — in football
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. roll — a cake
  10. land — to come down
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. scale — size or range
  15. deal — to handle
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. press — a publisher
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. land — a country
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. land — ground
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. roll — a list

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