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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: mouse · suit · cell · content · pitcher · band · ball · scale

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. cell — in biology
  5. cell — a phone
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. content — happy
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. band — a music group
  16. content — the amount
  17. scale — size or range
  18. suit — to fit
  19. scale — in music
  20. suit — in cards
  21. suit — clothes
  22. ball — a dance
  23. band — a ring
  24. pitcher — a jug

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