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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: calf · safe · scale · mark · field · drill · pound · rest

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. pound — a weight
  3. rest — what's left
  4. drill — army training
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. drill — the tool
  7. rest — what's left
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. scale — in music
  10. field — for sport
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. field — farmland
  15. rest — a break
  16. mark — a grade
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. scale — size or range
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. field — a subject
  24. drill — a practice

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