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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
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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 · cap · pitcher · temple · suit · lash · coach · roll

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  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. scale — size or range
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. cap — a lid
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. cap — a hat
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. roll — a list
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. roll — a cake
  16. suit — clothes
  17. suit — in cards
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. cap — of ice
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. temple — side of the head
  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