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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.

Make a worksheet

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: suit · stand · rock · rash · bear · stick · scale · saw

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. rash — a series
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. scale — size or range
  7. stand — to bear
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. bear — the animal
  11. suit — to fit
  12. suit — clothes
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. rock — a stone
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. saw — the tool
  18. suit — in cards
  19. saw — the tool
  20. bear — the animal
  21. scale — in music
  22. rash — hasty
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. rock — music

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