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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: bay · key · bark · scale · row · bass · ruler · suit

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. suit — to fit
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. key — for a lock
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. bark — to shout
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. scale — size or range
  11. bass — the fish
  12. bass — low music
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. scale — in music
  16. key — in music
  17. suit — in cards
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. row — to paddle
  20. row — a line
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. key — the most important part
  24. bass — the instrument

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