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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: staff · mug · scale · mouse · date · stem · track · rest

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  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. date — on the calendar
  2. mug — to rob
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. scale — size or range
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. staff — a stick
  7. rest — a break
  8. track — a song
  9. rest — what's left
  10. stem — to come from
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. track — to keep track
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. staff — employees
  16. mug — a face
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. track — a path
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. date — the fruit
  21. staff — employees
  22. rest — what's left
  23. mug — a cup
  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