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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: scale · stick · pop · mate · sharp · chair · fan · deal

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. sharp — clever
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. pop — music
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. scale — size or range
  14. scale — in music
  15. pop — to visit
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. deal — to handle
  21. pop — soda
  22. mate — a friend
  23. chair — a leader
  24. mate — to breed

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