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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: cap · wake · nail · cell · scale · pound · suit · firm

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. cap — of ice
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. cell — in biology
  6. firm — decided
  7. scale — size or range
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. scale — in music
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. wake — a trail
  14. suit — to fit
  15. suit — clothes
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. cap — a hat
  19. firm — steady
  20. pound — a weight
  21. suit — in cards
  22. cap — a lid
  23. cell — a phone
  24. firm — a company

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