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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: club · scale · mug · nail · mouse · suit · fork · clip

  1. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. club — for golf
  4. clip — to cut
  5. suit — clothes
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. club — for dancing
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. suit — in cards
  11. scale — size or range
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. fork — in a road
  14. mug — to rob
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. clip — a video
  17. suit — to fit
  18. club — a group
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. mug — a face
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. scale — in music
  23. mug — a cup
  24. nail — for a hammer

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