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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: lie · rock · scale · leaves · hand · wave · mark · stick

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. rock — music
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. hand — help
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. mark — a grade
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. lie — to recline
  12. rock — a stone
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. mark — a trace
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. scale — in music
  22. hand — in cards
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. scale — size or range

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