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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 116 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: march · staff · fan · suit · bark · track · scale · nail

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. scale — size or range
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. bark — to shout
  6. scale — in music
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. staff — a stick
  9. march — the month
  10. suit — clothes
  11. staff — employees
  12. track — a path
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. staff — employees
  15. track — to keep track
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. march — music
  18. march — the month
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. track — a song
  21. suit — to fit
  22. suit — in cards
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. fan — a supporter

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