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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: track · rush · mug · court · scale · suit · fan · mate

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. scale — in music
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. mate — a partner
  5. track — to keep track
  6. court — of law
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. suit — clothes
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. track — a path
  12. mate — a friend
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. track — a song
  15. court — for sport
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. scale — size or range
  18. mug — a face
  19. mug — to rob
  20. suit — in cards
  21. mate — to breed
  22. suit — to fit
  23. rush — hurry
  24. court — of a king

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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