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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: deal · scale · mug · lean · rest · snap · capital · drill

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. drill — the tool
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. scale — in music
  5. mug — to rob
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. mug — a cup
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. drill — army training
  10. rest — what's left
  11. capital — money
  12. scale — size or range
  13. deal — to handle
  14. rest — a break
  15. lean — thin
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. lean — to bend
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. snap — to click
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. mug — a face
  23. capital — a city
  24. rest — what's left

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