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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 116 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 · deal · lie · wake · track · stick · chip · hand

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. track — a path
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. track — to keep track
  11. scale — in music
  12. scale — size or range
  13. lie — to recline
  14. hand — in cards
  15. chip — for betting
  16. chip — to eat
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. wake — a trail
  20. hand — help
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. deal — to handle
  24. track — a song

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