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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 120 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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468
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 · hide · wake · mark · snap · pass · suit · foot

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. scale — in music
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. foot — a measure
  5. suit — clothes
  6. mark — a trace
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. mark — a grade
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. suit — in cards
  15. scale — size or range
  16. pass — a permit
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. wake — a trail
  24. snap — to click

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