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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: roll · suit · scale · hide · spell · mine · deal · jam

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. roll — a cake
  4. roll — a list
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. suit — in cards
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. spell — magic
  13. suit — clothes
  14. scale — in music
  15. suit — to fit
  16. spell — letters
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. mine — for digging
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. spell — a short time
  22. deal — to handle
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. roll — on a roll

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