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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 120 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: foot · pass · bat · pound · scale · mark · chest · bulb

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. scale — in music
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. foot — a measure
  6. bat — the animal
  7. bulb — for light
  8. chest — of your body
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. scale — size or range
  12. pound — a weight
  13. chest — of your body
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. chest — a box
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. pass — a permit
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. mark — a grade
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. bulb — for light
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. pass — to spend time

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