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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.

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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: can · bound · kid · suit · club · scale · hand · bay

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. club — a group
  3. suit — to fit
  4. hand — help
  5. can — a tin
  6. can — a tin
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. bound — obliged
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. kid — to tease
  12. can — to be able to
  13. scale — size or range
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. club — for dancing
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. bound — tied together
  18. suit — clothes
  19. hand — in cards
  20. bound — certain
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. club — for golf
  23. suit — in cards
  24. kid — child

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