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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
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: coach · racket · date · mug · scale · squash · can · club

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. scale — size or range
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. mug — a cup
  7. can — a tin
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. mug — a face
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. squash — to crush
  13. date — the fruit
  14. squash — the sport
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. scale — in music
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. club — for dancing
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. club — a group
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. club — for golf
  23. mug — to rob
  24. can — a tin

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