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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: scale · rash · press · jam · saw · kid · content · lie

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. content — the amount
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. press — newspapers
  5. scale — in music
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. rash — hasty
  8. press — to push
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. kid — to tease
  12. kid — child
  13. rash — a series
  14. saw — the tool
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. lie — to recline
  19. saw — the tool
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. scale — size or range
  23. press — a publisher
  24. content — happy

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