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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.

Make a worksheet

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: straw · scale · toast · fan · safe · last · hide · mark

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. last — finally
  4. toast — bread
  5. last — final
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. mark — a grade
  8. scale — in music
  9. mark — a trace
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. last — to go on
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. toast — the most admired

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