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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
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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: nail · pitcher · net · land · mouse · scale · suit · march

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. scale — in music
  6. suit — in cards
  7. march — the month
  8. scale — size or range
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. land — a country
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. net — in sport
  13. march — the month
  14. march — music
  15. land — to come down
  16. net — for catching
  17. land — ground
  18. suit — to fit
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. suit — clothes
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. net — after costs
  24. nail — on a finger

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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