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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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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: key · suit · pitcher · scale · date · bear · mate · row

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. row — a line
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. key — the most important part
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. suit — in cards
  7. mate — a partner
  8. suit — clothes
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. scale — in music
  12. bear — the animal
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. bear — the animal
  15. scale — size or range
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. key — in music
  18. suit — to fit
  19. row — to paddle
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. date — the fruit
  22. mate — to breed
  23. key — for a lock
  24. mate — a friend

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