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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 120 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: leaves · chip · drill · stand · mouse · scale · bay · spring

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. drill — the tool
  3. drill — army training
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. spring — the season
  7. spring — of water
  8. drill — a practice
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. scale — in music
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. chip — for betting
  14. spring — a coil
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. chip — to eat
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. stand — to bear
  21. scale — size or range
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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