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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 · prune · chair · mug · degree · pound · scale · key

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. pound — a weight
  3. prune — to trim
  4. mug — a cup
  5. mug — to rob
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. degree — from a university
  8. key — in music
  9. scale — size or range
  10. degree — an amount
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. key — the most important part
  13. suit — in cards
  14. mug — a face
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. suit — clothes
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. degree — temperature
  20. suit — to fit
  21. prune — to trim
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. scale — in music
  24. chair — a leader

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