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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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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 · stand · ground · cap · deal · suit · cabinet · wake

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. ground — crushed
  4. cap — a lid
  5. wake — a trail
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. suit — in cards
  11. scale — in music
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. suit — to fit
  14. cap — a hat
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. cap — of ice
  17. stand — to bear
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. ground — a position
  20. deal — to handle
  21. suit — clothes
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. scale — size or range
  24. ground — the earth

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