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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 · rest · object · dip · saw · field · nail · land

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. rest — what's left
  4. land — a country
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. scale — in music
  7. dip — to sink
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. field — farmland
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. scale — size or range
  13. object — a thing
  14. saw — the tool
  15. land — ground
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. object — an aim
  18. land — to come down
  19. field — a subject
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. rest — a break
  22. rest — what's left
  23. field — for sport
  24. object — to protest

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