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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: scale · fine · lie · stick · deal · firm · key · mine

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. mine — for digging
  4. scale — in music
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. deal — to handle
  10. lie — to recline
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. firm — steady
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. firm — decided
  16. key — in music
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. fine — high quality
  20. key — the most important part
  21. key — for a lock
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. scale — size or range
  24. fine — all right

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