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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: date · lean · pop · club · track · bay · object · scale

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. date — the fruit
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. track — a song
  5. scale — size or range
  6. track — to keep track
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. club — a group
  10. object — to protest
  11. pop — music
  12. lean — thin
  13. object — a thing
  14. club — for golf
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. pop — to visit
  18. pop — soda
  19. object — an aim
  20. lean — to bend
  21. track — a path
  22. scale — in music
  23. club — for dancing
  24. lean — to rest against

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