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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: scale · suit · pass · jam · cabinet · mine · degree · dip

  1. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  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. mine — belonging to me
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. scale — in music
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. suit — in cards
  9. pass — a permit
  10. suit — clothes
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. degree — an amount
  13. degree — from a university
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. scale — size or range
  17. mine — for digging
  18. degree — temperature
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. dip — to sink
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. cabinet — ministers
  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