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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 120 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: firm · scale · wake · cap · club · suit · racket · file

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. suit — to fit
  3. wake — a trail
  4. file — a tool
  5. scale — in music
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. cap — of ice
  9. club — for dancing
  10. file — a document
  11. firm — steady
  12. file — a line of people
  13. cap — a hat
  14. firm — decided
  15. club — a group
  16. scale — size or range
  17. firm — a company
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. club — for golf
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. cap — a lid
  22. suit — clothes
  23. suit — in cards
  24. racket — for tennis

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