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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: sharp · branch · scale · mark · mine · mate · date · ground

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. ground — crushed
  3. mate — to breed
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. ground — the earth
  7. mate — a friend
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. ground — a position
  10. scale — size or range
  11. mark — a grade
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. mate — a partner
  14. date — the fruit
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. mine — for digging
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. sharp — clever
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. branch — a division
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. mark — a trace

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