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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: fork · swing · lie · scale · stock · deal · plane · foot

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. deal — to handle
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. scale — in music
  8. stock — shares
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. swing — to play on
  18. stock — goods
  19. plane — a tool
  20. swing — music
  21. swing — in golf
  22. fork — in a road
  23. lie — to recline
  24. foot — a measure

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