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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.

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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: lie · calf · press · roll · deal · pop · scale · pit

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. pit — a hole
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. press — a publisher
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. scale — in music
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. deal — to handle
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. scale — size or range
  14. press — newspapers
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. roll — a list
  17. pop — to visit
  18. roll — a cake
  19. pit — in a race
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. lie — to recline
  23. pop — soda
  24. press — to push

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