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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: ground · scale · mark · hand · rest · roll · leaves · firm

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. mark — a grade
  3. hand — in cards
  4. ground — crushed
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. scale — in music
  7. rest — what's left
  8. firm — steady
  9. roll — a cake
  10. firm — a company
  11. scale — size or range
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. ground — the earth
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. rest — a break
  16. ground — a position
  17. roll — a list
  18. hand — help
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. rest — what's left
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. firm — decided
  24. mark — to pay attention

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