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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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: spring · bay · kick · key · saw · scale · net · mark

  1. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. scale — size or range
  3. saw — the tool
  4. spring — of water
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. saw — the tool
  7. mark — a grade
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. spring — the season
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. scale — in music
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. key — in music
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. kick — in football
  18. net — for catching
  19. spring — a coil
  20. key — the most important part
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. key — for a lock
  23. mark — a trace
  24. net — in sport

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