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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: wave · fine · toast · suit · chest · scale · content · pitcher

  1. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. suit — clothes
  4. fine — high quality
  5. content — happy
  6. chest — of your body
  7. chest — a box
  8. suit — to fit
  9. scale — in music
  10. chest — of your body
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. toast — bread
  19. scale — size or range
  20. fine — all right
  21. suit — in cards
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. toast — the most admired

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