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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: mark · branch · suit · key · court · jam · scale · deal

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. court — of law
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. suit — to fit
  6. court — of a king
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. scale — size or range
  10. scale — in music
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. mark — a grade
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. court — for sport
  15. key — the most important part
  16. mark — a trace
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. deal — to handle
  20. key — for a lock
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. branch — a division
  23. suit — clothes
  24. suit — in cards

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