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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: fine · rest · club · mark · lean · stick · scale · jam

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. club — for golf
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. club — for dancing
  6. scale — in music
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. lean — to bend
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. rest — what's left
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. rest — a break
  15. fine — all right
  16. mark — a grade
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. club — a group
  19. scale — size or range
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. rest — what's left
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. lean — thin
  24. fine — high quality

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