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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: arm · wake · scale · pitcher · suit · dip · race · content

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. race — the arms race
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. dip — to sink
  8. wake — a trail
  9. content — the amount
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. suit — clothes
  13. scale — size or range
  14. content — happy
  15. suit — in cards
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. race — a contest
  20. race — humankind
  21. suit — to fit
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. scale — in music
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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