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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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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: tube · scale · hide · stand · lean · mark

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. mark — a grade
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. tube — a container
  8. scale — in music
  9. lean — to bend
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. tube — the underground
  13. scale — size or range
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. mark — a trace
  16. stand — to bear
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. lean — to rest against

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