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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: bear · suit · bay · pit · toast · cap · rush · scale

  1. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. suit — in cards
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. cap — a lid
  8. scale — in music
  9. cap — a hat
  10. bear — the animal
  11. cap — of ice
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. suit — to fit
  14. pit — in a race
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. suit — clothes
  17. rush — hurry
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. pit — a hole
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. scale — size or range
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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