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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: coach · pitcher · wake · suit · scale · deal

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. scale — in music
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. deal — to handle
  8. suit — in cards
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. wake — a trail
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. suit — to fit
  15. scale — size or range
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. pitcher — in baseball

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