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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: cue · suit · lean · bark · row · scale · present · bat

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. scale — size or range
  4. suit — clothes
  5. cue — a signal
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. row — to paddle
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. cue — for pool
  10. scale — in music
  11. lean — thin
  12. present — a gift
  13. suit — in cards
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. bark — to shout
  16. present — there
  17. lean — to bend
  18. row — a line
  19. present — the time now
  20. bat — the animal
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. cue — a hint
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. suit — to fit

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