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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
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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: lean · prune · kid · mark · track · scale · chair · suit

  1. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. track — to keep track
  3. scale — in music
  4. suit — to fit
  5. track — a path
  6. track — a song
  7. kid — child
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. lean — to bend
  10. kid — to tease
  11. suit — in cards
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. mark — a grade
  14. suit — clothes
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. prune — to trim
  17. prune — to trim
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. scale — size or range
  21. lean — thin
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. mark — a trace
  24. mark — to pay attention

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