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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: stand · content · scale · nail · chest · ground · deal · swing

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. swing — music
  5. swing — in golf
  6. content — happy
  7. ground — crushed
  8. ground — a position
  9. chest — a box
  10. ground — the earth
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. deal — to handle
  13. swing — to play on
  14. stand — to bear
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. chest — of your body
  17. content — the amount
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. scale — size or range
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. chest — of your body
  24. content — videos and posts

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