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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: wave · pit · cabinet · mug · scale · spell · stand · land

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. mug — to rob
  3. stand — to bear
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. spell — magic
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. land — a country
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. pit — a hole
  12. land — to come down
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. mug — a cup
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. pit — in a race
  19. spell — letters
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. spell — a short time
  22. mug — a face
  23. land — ground
  24. scale — size or range

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