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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.

Make a worksheet

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
YesNo
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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 · hide · scale · wind · fine · date · patient · leaves

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. wind — moving air
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. lie — to recline
  9. date — the fruit
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. fine — all right
  12. wind — moving air
  13. scale — size or range
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. fine — high quality
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. hide — animal skin

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