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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: pass · tube · drill · scale · fine · mine · toast · mark

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. mark — a grade
  3. toast — bread
  4. mine — for digging
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. drill — army training
  7. drill — the tool
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. tube — a container
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. mark — a trace
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. scale — in music
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. pass — a permit
  20. fine — high quality
  21. scale — size or range
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. drill — a practice
  24. fine — all right

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