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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: fine · ball · hide · lie · content · scale · stem · key

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. lie — to recline
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. scale — in music
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. key — for a lock
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. ball — a great time
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. key — the most important part
  13. content — happy
  14. fine — high quality
  15. ball — a dance
  16. stem — to come from
  17. scale — size or range
  18. content — the amount
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. fine — all right
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. ball — a round shape

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