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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
468
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: scale · craft · content · branch · coach · spell · mug · mark

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. content — happy
  3. scale — size or range
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. craft — a skill
  6. mug — a face
  7. content — the amount
  8. mark — a trace
  9. spell — a short time
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. mug — to rob
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. mug — a cup
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. craft — boats
  18. mark — a grade
  19. spell — magic
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. branch — a division
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. scale — in music
  24. branch — of a tree

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