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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: scale · fine · bark · cabinet · mark · bay · stand · root

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. scale — size or range
  3. mark — a trace
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. bark — to shout
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. mark — a grade
  9. root — of a plant
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. root — of a word
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. stand — to bear
  20. fine — all right
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. root — the cause
  23. fine — high quality
  24. scale — in music

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