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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: mouse · fine · roll · cabinet · deal · lie · band · stem

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. roll — a cake
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. fine — high quality
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. lie — to recline
  17. fine — all right
  18. deal — to handle
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. band — a music group
  21. roll — a list
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. band — a ring
  24. stem — to come from

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