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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: suit · calf · dip · wound · scale · court · chair · can

  1. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. court — for sport
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. can — a tin
  7. dip — to sink
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. scale — in music
  10. suit — clothes
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. chair — a leader
  14. wound — an injury
  15. wound — an injury
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. suit — in cards
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. court — of law
  20. can — to be able to
  21. can — a tin
  22. scale — size or range
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. suit — to fit

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