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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: mark · scale · wound · bay · mug · rash · row · toast

  1. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. toast — bread
  3. wound — an injury
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. mark — a trace
  7. rash — a series
  8. scale — size or range
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. scale — in music
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. row — to paddle
  14. mug — a face
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. mug — a cup
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. mug — to rob
  20. mark — a grade
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. rash — hasty
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. row — a line

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