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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: swing · scale · wake · face · fine · mark · content · leaves

  1. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. mark — a trace
  3. scale — size or range
  4. scale — in music
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. fine — high quality
  9. mark — a grade
  10. swing — music
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. content — the amount
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. face — to point toward
  18. face — part of the head
  19. wake — a trail
  20. swing — in golf
  21. swing — to play on
  22. fine — all right
  23. face — to confront
  24. content — happy

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