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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: firm · tube · scale · saw · mark · game · cabinet · board

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. scale — in music
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. tube — the underground
  5. board — to get on
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. firm — a company
  9. mark — a trace
  10. mark — a grade
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. board — a committee
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. tube — a container
  17. scale — size or range
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. game — a match
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. saw — the tool
  22. saw — the tool
  23. game — wild animals
  24. firm — steady

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