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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: hide · deal · ruler · lean · lie · capital · scale · land

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. lean — to bend
  5. land — ground
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. land — to come down
  10. deal — to handle
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. scale — size or range
  13. land — a country
  14. capital — money
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. lie — to recline
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. lean — thin
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. capital — a city
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. ruler — for measuring

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