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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: prune · club · board · suit · track · bowl · cabinet · scale

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. suit — clothes
  6. scale — in music
  7. prune — to trim
  8. board — to get on
  9. club — for golf
  10. scale — size or range
  11. track — to keep track
  12. suit — to fit
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. track — a song
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. track — a path
  19. club — a group
  20. board — a committee
  21. prune — to trim
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. suit — in cards

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