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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: firm · rash · scale · club · press · mug · saw · field

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. club — for dancing
  3. scale — in music
  4. field — a subject
  5. club — for golf
  6. rash — hasty
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. scale — size or range
  9. firm — decided
  10. press — newspapers
  11. press — to push
  12. mug — a face
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. saw — the tool
  15. mug — to rob
  16. press — a publisher
  17. saw — the tool
  18. field — farmland
  19. mug — a cup
  20. rash — a series
  21. club — a group
  22. firm — a company
  23. field — for sport
  24. firm — steady

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