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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.

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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
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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: content · cue · pop · bound · field · leaves · suit · scale

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. suit — to fit
  3. suit — clothes
  4. scale — size or range
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. cue — for pool
  9. pop — to visit
  10. suit — in cards
  11. field — a subject
  12. content — happy
  13. bound — tied together
  14. pop — music
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. field — farmland
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. bound — obliged
  19. scale — in music
  20. content — the amount
  21. cue — a hint
  22. field — for sport
  23. cue — a signal
  24. pop — soda

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