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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: wake · suit · scale · mouse · rock · can · swing · lie

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. rock — a stone
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. suit — clothes
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. suit — to fit
  9. can — to be able to
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. rock — music
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. can — a tin
  16. scale — size or range
  17. can — a tin
  18. scale — in music
  19. swing — in golf
  20. suit — in cards
  21. wake — a trail
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. lie — to recline
  24. swing — to play on

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