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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: lash · lie · scale · ground · mine · nail · leaves · current

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. scale — size or range
  3. mine — for digging
  4. lie — to recline
  5. ground — crushed
  6. current — electric
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. scale — in music
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. ground — a position
  14. ground — the earth
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. current — of water
  17. current — happening now
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. mine — an explosive

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