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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: foot · bowl · sharp · snap · straw · suit · scale · coach

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. scale — in music
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. foot — a measure
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. suit — clothes
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. scale — size or range
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. suit — in cards
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. snap — to click
  23. suit — to fit
  24. straw — dry grass

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