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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 120 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: stand · fine · lie · bore · fork · deal · court · scale

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. fine — high quality
  4. lie — to recline
  5. court — for sport
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. fine — all right
  9. deal — to handle
  10. bore — to tire
  11. stand — to bear
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. fork — in a road
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. scale — in music
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. scale — size or range
  21. court — of a king
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. bore — to drill
  24. court — of law

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