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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 · row · scale · key · mouse · straw · content · mug

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. content — the amount
  3. mug — a face
  4. suit — in cards
  5. content — happy
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. key — for a lock
  8. mug — a cup
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. suit — to fit
  11. key — the most important part
  12. row — a line
  13. row — to paddle
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. scale — in music
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. key — in music
  21. mug — to rob
  22. scale — size or range
  23. suit — clothes
  24. mouse — the animal

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