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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: wake · date · last · object · fine · board · ball · scale

  1. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. fine — high quality
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. scale — in music
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. wake — a trail
  8. board — to get on
  9. scale — size or range
  10. date — the fruit
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. last — final
  14. board — a committee
  15. object — an aim
  16. object — to protest
  17. last — to go on
  18. fine — all right
  19. object — a thing
  20. ball — a great time
  21. ball — a dance
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. scale — for weighing

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