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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: suit · march · bound · mine · mug · scale · dip · toast

  1. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. suit — to fit
  3. bound — certain
  4. bound — obliged
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. march — music
  7. suit — in cards
  8. mine — for digging
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. scale — in music
  12. dip — to sink
  13. march — the month
  14. scale — size or range
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. bound — tied together
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. mug — to rob
  21. mug — a cup
  22. march — the month
  23. suit — clothes
  24. mug — a face

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