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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: saw · scale · cabinet · track · nail · can · mark · foot

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. mark — a trace
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. scale — in music
  5. can — to be able to
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. can — a tin
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. scale — size or range
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. track — to keep track
  16. mark — a grade
  17. track — a song
  18. saw — the tool
  19. track — a path
  20. saw — the tool
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. foot — a measure
  24. foot — part of the body

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