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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. scale — size or range
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. club — for dancing
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. saw — the tool
  8. club — a group
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. track — a path
  12. wake — a trail
  13. suit — to fit
  14. deal — to handle
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. suit — clothes
  17. club — for golf
  18. track — to keep track
  19. scale — in music
  20. cell — in biology
  21. saw — the tool
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. track — a song
  24. cell — a phone

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