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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 120 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: rash · sharp · suit · clip · track · net · scale · mark

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. suit — clothes
  3. rash — a series
  4. rash — hasty
  5. track — a song
  6. net — for catching
  7. clip — to cut
  8. mark — a grade
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. scale — size or range
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. sharp — clever
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. net — in sport
  16. clip — a video
  17. clip — for paper
  18. track — a path
  19. track — to keep track
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. mark — a trace
  22. suit — in cards
  23. net — after costs
  24. suit — to fit

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