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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.

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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: content · scale · wave · club · saw · pit · firm · deal

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. scale — size or range
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. content — the amount
  8. content — happy
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. deal — to handle
  11. firm — a company
  12. saw — the tool
  13. firm — decided
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. firm — steady
  17. club — for golf
  18. club — a group
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. pit — in a race
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. club — for dancing
  23. pit — a hole
  24. scale — in music

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