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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: lie · stem · toast · cabinet · kick · scale · sharp · branch

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. toast — bread
  4. scale — size or range
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. sharp — clever
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. kick — in football
  9. scale — in music
  10. stem — to come from
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. branch — a division
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. lie — to recline
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. sharp — exactly

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