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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 · chip · band · scale · lash · hand · mouse · staff

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  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. mouse — for a computer
  2. hand — in cards
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. staff — a stick
  7. hand — help
  8. chip — for betting
  9. band — a ring
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. mark — a grade
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. scale — size or range
  16. band — a music group
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. mark — a trace
  19. chip — to eat
  20. scale — in music
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. staff — employees
  23. staff — employees
  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