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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 116 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 · present · mark · stick · object · firm · land · cabinet

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. mark — a trace
  4. firm — a company
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. firm — decided
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. object — to protest
  9. object — an aim
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. present — the time now
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. land — ground
  15. scale — size or range
  16. firm — steady
  17. present — a gift
  18. mark — a grade
  19. scale — in music
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. land — a country
  22. land — to come down
  23. object — a thing
  24. present — there

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