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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: fine · staff · scale · stem · dip · track · chest · pass

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. pass — a permit
  3. staff — employees
  4. chest — of your body
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. track — a path
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. dip — to sink
  10. track — a song
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. scale — size or range
  13. chest — of your body
  14. staff — a stick
  15. track — to keep track
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. chest — a box
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. stem — to come from
  21. fine — all right
  22. fine — high quality
  23. scale — in music
  24. staff — employees

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