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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 · net · kid · fine · fall · spell · can · mark

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  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. can — a tin
  2. mark — a trace
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. net — in sport
  5. kid — to tease
  6. scale — in music
  7. can — a tin
  8. can — to be able to
  9. kid — child
  10. spell — letters
  11. fine — high quality
  12. fall — to drop
  13. fine — all right
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. net — for catching
  16. mark — a grade
  17. spell — a short time
  18. fall — to drop
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. scale — size or range
  21. net — after costs
  22. spell — magic
  23. fall — the season
  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