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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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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: lie · content · scale · deal · bark · mouse · stand · rush

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. content — the amount
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. content — happy
  9. scale — size or range
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. stand — to bear
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. deal — to handle
  16. bark — to shout
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. lie — to recline
  21. rush — hurry
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. stand — on your feet

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