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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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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: stem · stick · lie · nail · rock · clip · scale · bear

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. bear — the animal
  3. rock — music
  4. lie — to recline
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. clip — a video
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. scale — in music
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. scale — size or range
  15. clip — to cut
  16. rock — a stone
  17. clip — for paper
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. stem — to come from
  20. bear — the animal
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. rock — to move gently

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