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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: lie · wake · prune · bay · hand · calf · dip · scale

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. hand — in cards
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. scale — in music
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. lie — to recline
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. wake — a trail
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. prune — to trim
  20. prune — to trim
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. scale — size or range
  23. hand — help
  24. dip — to sink

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