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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: mark · cap · fall · saw · coach · suit · mate · scale

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. mate — to breed
  3. cap — a lid
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. cap — a hat
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. mate — a partner
  8. suit — in cards
  9. fall — the season
  10. suit — to fit
  11. fall — to drop
  12. mark — a grade
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. fall — to drop
  15. scale — in music
  16. suit — clothes
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. cap — of ice
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. scale — size or range
  22. saw — the tool
  23. mate — a friend
  24. saw — the tool

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