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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: staff · scale · cap · firm · mark · bank · shower · pop

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. firm — steady
  3. mark — a trace
  4. scale — in music
  5. firm — a company
  6. bank — of a river
  7. shower — rain
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. pop — soda
  10. pop — to visit
  11. staff — employees
  12. cap — a lid
  13. cap — a hat
  14. staff — employees
  15. scale — size or range
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. firm — decided
  18. bank — for money
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. pop — music
  21. shower — to wash
  22. bank — for money
  23. staff — a stick
  24. cap — of ice

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