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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: sharp · nail · track · mine · scale · lean · bank · mark

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. scale — in music
  4. bank — for money
  5. lean — to bend
  6. track — to keep track
  7. scale — size or range
  8. track — a path
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. mine — for digging
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. bank — for money
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. lean — thin
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. track — a song
  22. sharp — clever
  23. mark — a grade
  24. bank — of a river

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