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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: ball · jam · cap · scale · last · mark · rest · bay

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. rest — what's left
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. cap — a lid
  5. mark — a trace
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. ball — a great time
  11. scale — in music
  12. scale — size or range
  13. mark — a grade
  14. last — to go on
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. last — finally
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. rest — a break
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. cap — a hat
  21. last — final
  22. rest — what's left
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. ball — a dance

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