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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.

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: fine · can · wound · last · staff · tear · scale · snap

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. scale — size or range
  3. can — a tin
  4. tear — to rip
  5. tear — from crying
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. last — to go on
  8. staff — employees
  9. last — final
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. wound — an injury
  12. snap — to click
  13. scale — in music
  14. last — finally
  15. wound — an injury
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. can — to be able to
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. can — a tin
  20. tear — from crying
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. staff — employees
  23. staff — a stick
  24. fine — high quality

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