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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: fine · spell · bay · scale · object · cap · cell · track

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. fine — high quality
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. scale — size or range
  5. fine — all right
  6. track — a path
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. object — an aim
  9. object — to protest
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. track — a song
  12. cell — a phone
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. spell — a short time
  16. spell — letters
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. cell — in biology
  19. scale — in music
  20. cap — a hat
  21. object — a thing
  22. cap — a lid
  23. spell — magic
  24. cap — of ice

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