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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 120 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: mark · scale · bay · hand · ruler · capital · sharp · lean

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. mark — a trace
  3. capital — money
  4. mark — a grade
  5. scale — size or range
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. sharp — clever
  8. hand — in cards
  9. capital — a city
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. lean — to bend
  13. scale — in music
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. lean — thin
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. hand — help
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. hand — part of the body

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