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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: scale · stand · spell · suit · date · court · bore · mark

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. suit — clothes
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. court — for sport
  6. suit — in cards
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. spell — letters
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. bore — to tire
  11. court — of law
  12. scale — in music
  13. court — of a king
  14. mark — a trace
  15. mark — a grade
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. suit — to fit
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. stand — to bear
  21. bore — to drill
  22. spell — a short time
  23. spell — magic
  24. 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