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

Word bank: scale · stick · toast · mark · mate · ruler

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. mark — a grade
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. mate — a friend
  8. mate — a partner
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. toast — bread
  11. mark — a trace
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. mate — to breed
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. scale — in music
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. scale — size or range

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