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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
468
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 · scale · key · leaves · coach · cold · craft · squash

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. The water is too ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. suit — to fit
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. craft — a skill
  5. scale — size or range
  6. cold — an illness
  7. squash — the sport
  8. cold — the Cold War
  9. craft — boats
  10. key — the most important part
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. key — in music
  15. suit — clothes
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. squash — to crush
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. key — for a lock
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. scale — in music
  24. cold — not warm

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