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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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: pitcher · scale · suit · nail · rash · stick · content · bay

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. suit — in cards
  9. suit — clothes
  10. suit — to fit
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. rash — hasty
  14. scale — size or range
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. scale — in music
  17. content — happy
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. rash — a series
  21. content — the amount
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. scale — for weighing

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