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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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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 · wound · hide · toast · pit · rest · pound

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. pit — a hole
  4. scale — size or range
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. toast — bread
  7. present — there
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. present — the time now
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. wound — an injury
  12. rest — what's left
  13. wound — an injury
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. pound — a weight
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. rest — a break
  19. present — a gift
  20. pit — in a race
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. rest — what's left
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. pound — for dogs

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