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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: wake · mine · rush · cabinet · nail · bowl · lie · scale

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. mine — for digging
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. lie — to recline
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. scale — in music
  20. scale — size or range
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. rush — hurry
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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