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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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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. mark — a trace
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. present — there
  5. bank — for money
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. toast — bread
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. bank — of a river
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. row — to paddle
  12. row — a line
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. present — a gift
  19. scale — in music
  20. mark — a grade
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. present — the time now
  24. bank — for money

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