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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: sharp · racket · suit · scale · file · cap · march · deal

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. scale — size or range
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. suit — clothes
  8. scale — in music
  9. march — the month
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. cap — a hat
  12. file — a tool
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. file — a document
  15. sharp — clever
  16. march — the month
  17. deal — to handle
  18. file — a line of people
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. march — music
  22. cap — a lid
  23. suit — to fit
  24. cap — of ice

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