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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: scale · arm · ball · game · toast · suit · last · root

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. root — the cause
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. toast — bread
  9. game — a match
  10. scale — in music
  11. last — finally
  12. scale — size or range
  13. suit — to fit
  14. last — to go on
  15. last — final
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. ball — a great time
  19. suit — in cards
  20. root — of a word
  21. ball — a dance
  22. root — of a plant
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. game — wild animals

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