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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.

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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: object · nail · scale · pop · pit · mate · court · rock

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. pop — soda
  3. pop — to visit
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. rock — a stone
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. object — to protest
  9. scale — size or range
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. pop — music
  12. object — an aim
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. mate — to breed
  15. pit — in a race
  16. rock — music
  17. court — of a king
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. court — of law
  20. mate — a friend
  21. mate — a partner
  22. pit — a hole
  23. scale — in music
  24. court — for sport

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