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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: stand · pop · scale · mark · press · lie · dip · bat

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. lie — to recline
  4. bat — the animal
  5. pop — soda
  6. mark — a trace
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. press — to push
  9. scale — in music
  10. mark — a grade
  11. pop — to visit
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. press — newspapers
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. pop — music
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. scale — size or range
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. stand — to bear
  23. press — a publisher
  24. dip — to sink

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