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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: toast · tube · scale · spell · stand · rock · row · object

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. scale — in music
  3. object — a thing
  4. scale — size or range
  5. row — a line
  6. tube — a container
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. spell — letters
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. rock — music
  11. rock — a stone
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. spell — a short time
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. spell — magic
  17. object — to protest
  18. tube — the underground
  19. row — to paddle
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. stand — to bear
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. toast — bread
  24. stand — on your feet

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