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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: rash · scale · bore · mate · pit · suit · ground · cap

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. suit — to fit
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. pit — in a race
  5. scale — in music
  6. mate — a partner
  7. bore — to tire
  8. suit — in cards
  9. rash — hasty
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. ground — crushed
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. ground — the earth
  14. suit — clothes
  15. cap — a hat
  16. scale — size or range
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. bore — to drill
  19. rash — a series
  20. ground — a position
  21. cap — of ice
  22. cap — a lid
  23. pit — a hole
  24. mate — a friend

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