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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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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: stand · scale · march · mark · sharp · branch · mug · fine

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. mark — a trace
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. branch — a division
  6. mark — a grade
  7. mug — a face
  8. march — the month
  9. sharp — clever
  10. scale — size or range
  11. march — the month
  12. fine — all right
  13. mug — to rob
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. mug — a cup
  17. fine — high quality
  18. stand — to bear
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. scale — in music
  23. march — music
  24. sharp — with an edge

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