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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: wound · degree · track · fan · scale · object · stick · leaves

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. wound — an injury
  5. degree — from a university
  6. scale — in music
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. scale — size or range
  9. track — a path
  10. degree — an amount
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. object — a thing
  14. object — to protest
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. track — to keep track
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. object — an aim
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. degree — temperature
  23. wound — an injury
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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