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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.

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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: mine · scale · lie · rock · nail · stand · pitcher · squash

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. stand — to bear
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. mine — for digging
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. lie — to recline
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. rock — a stone
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. squash — to crush
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. scale — in music
  19. squash — the sport
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. scale — size or range
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. rock — 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