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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 116 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: track · cabinet · scale · lie · mate · wave · rest · march

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. rest — what's left
  3. march — the month
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. track — a path
  7. scale — in music
  8. scale — size or range
  9. track — a song
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. track — to keep track
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. march — the month
  14. mate — a friend
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. mate — a partner
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. mate — to breed
  21. lie — to recline
  22. rest — a break
  23. rest — what's left
  24. march — music

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