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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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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 · bear · tear · cell · arm · scale · bowl · can

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. scale — size or range
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. tear — from crying
  8. bear — the animal
  9. cell — in biology
  10. can — a tin
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. tear — to rip
  14. bear — the animal
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. tear — from crying
  17. lie — to recline
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. can — a tin
  20. cell — a phone
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. can — to be able to

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