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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: mark · stand · deal · racket · straw · scale · bore · last

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. last — final
  3. bore — to drill
  4. mark — a trace
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. scale — in music
  11. stand — to bear
  12. deal — to handle
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. bore — to tire
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. scale — size or range
  18. mark — a grade
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. last — to go on
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. last — finally

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