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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.

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 · swing · patient · ball · mate · sharp · cabinet · lie

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. ball — a great time
  5. lie — to recline
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. mate — to breed
  9. mate — a friend
  10. ball — a dance
  11. sharp — clever
  12. scale — size or range
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. swing — in golf
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. scale — in music
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. swing — to play on
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. mate — a partner
  24. swing — music

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