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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: scale · suit · mouse · wake · ruler · tube · club · mug

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. mug — a face
  3. suit — in cards
  4. suit — to fit
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. club — a group
  7. tube — the underground
  8. scale — in music
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. scale — size or range
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. club — for golf
  18. suit — clothes
  19. mug — to rob
  20. club — for dancing
  21. tube — a container
  22. wake — a trail
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. mouse — the animal

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