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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: hand · suit · lie · stand · bore · fork · stick · scale

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. bore — to drill
  4. lie — to recline
  5. hand — in cards
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. suit — to fit
  9. bore — to tire
  10. hand — help
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. stand — to bear
  14. fork — in a road
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. suit — clothes
  18. suit — in cards
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. scale — size or range
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. scale — in music
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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