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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 116 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.

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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: degree · suit · coach · lie · scale · swing · fine · bear

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. swing — to play on
  3. suit — clothes
  4. degree — an amount
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. degree — from a university
  7. degree — temperature
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. fine — high quality
  10. bear — the animal
  11. suit — in cards
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. fine — all right
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. scale — in music
  17. scale — size or range
  18. bear — the animal
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. lie — to recline
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. swing — music
  23. swing — in golf
  24. suit — to fit

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