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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 · bear · ball · land · rock · net · scale · straw

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. ball — a dance
  3. net — for catching
  4. suit — to fit
  5. scale — in music
  6. suit — clothes
  7. rock — a stone
  8. suit — in cards
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. net — after costs
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. ball — a great time
  13. rock — music
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. land — to come down
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bear — the animal
  18. net — in sport
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. land — ground
  22. land — a country
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. straw — a straw man

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