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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: foot · key · wake · can · rash · scale · mark · kick

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. can — a tin
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. key — for a lock
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. rash — hasty
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. wake — a trail
  11. rash — a series
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. scale — size or range
  14. key — in music
  15. key — the most important part
  16. can — to be able to
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. foot — a measure
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. scale — in music
  22. can — a tin
  23. mark — a trace
  24. kick — in football

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