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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. mark — a grade
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. stand — to bear
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. rock — music
  11. mark — a trace
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. rock — a stone
  14. wake — a trail
  15. scale — in music
  16. scale — size or range
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. wake — to stop sleeping

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