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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: straw · spell · bay · suit · cabinet · march · scale · bound

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. scale — in music
  3. bound — tied together
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. suit — to fit
  7. scale — size or range
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. spell — letters
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. bound — certain
  15. bound — obliged
  16. march — the month
  17. spell — magic
  18. spell — a short time
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. suit — clothes
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. suit — in cards
  24. march — the month

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