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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: scale · object · wave · mine · foot · cabinet · lie · pitcher

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. lie — to recline
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. scale — in music
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. foot — a measure
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. object — an aim
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. object — a thing
  16. scale — size or range
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. object — to protest
  21. mine — for digging
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. lie — an untruth

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