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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: deal · date · sharp · degree · suit · scale · club · pound

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. degree — temperature
  3. suit — clothes
  4. deal — to handle
  5. club — for golf
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. club — for dancing
  8. suit — to fit
  9. date — the fruit
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. suit — in cards
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. sharp — clever
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. club — a group
  16. degree — from a university
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. scale — in music
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. scale — size or range
  21. pound — a weight
  22. degree — an amount
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. pound — to hit hard

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