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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: mate · land · ball · scale · pass · staff · fall · wake

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. mate — a friend
  5. land — to come down
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. staff — employees
  8. land — ground
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. fall — the season
  11. ball — a great time
  12. wake — a trail
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. scale — size or range
  16. fall — to drop
  17. fall — to drop
  18. staff — employees
  19. mate — to breed
  20. land — a country
  21. mate — a partner
  22. pass — a permit
  23. staff — a stick
  24. ball — a dance

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