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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: fine · scale · roll · deal · rash · toast · bay · last

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. deal — to handle
  3. rash — hasty
  4. scale — in music
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. roll — a cake
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. last — finally
  12. last — to go on
  13. toast — bread
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. roll — a list
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. rash — a series
  18. scale — size or range
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. last — final
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. fine — all right
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. deal — a big deal

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