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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: mark · bear · fine · bore · fall · racket · wind · scale

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. mark — a trace
  3. fine — high quality
  4. scale — in music
  5. scale — size or range
  6. wind — moving air
  7. fall — the season
  8. bore — to tire
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. bear — the animal
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. fine — all right
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. bear — the animal
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. fall — to drop
  19. bore — to drill
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. wind — moving air
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. fall — to drop
  24. racket — for tennis

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