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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
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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: fine · field · can · staff · saw · last · scale · game

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. field — a subject
  3. can — a tin
  4. fine — high quality
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. scale — in music
  7. last — finally
  8. can — to be able to
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. saw — the tool
  12. field — for sport
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. saw — the tool
  15. can — a tin
  16. game — wild animals
  17. fine — all right
  18. staff — employees
  19. last — to go on
  20. game — a match
  21. field — farmland
  22. staff — a stick
  23. last — final
  24. staff — employees

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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