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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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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: track · scale · nail · stand · mark · lean · rest · charge

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. lean — thin
  6. rest — what's left
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. track — to keep track
  10. scale — size or range
  11. stand — to bear
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. scale — in music
  14. charge — electricity
  15. track — a path
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. mark — a grade
  18. mark — a trace
  19. charge — a price
  20. track — a song
  21. charge — in control
  22. rest — a break
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. rest — what's left

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