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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
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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 · jam · chair · fork · row · hide · suit · bowl

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. row — to paddle
  3. suit — in cards
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. chair — a leader
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. suit — clothes
  9. scale — size or range
  10. fork — in a road
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. row — a line
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. scale — in 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