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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.

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: scale · bay · track · can · suit · band · arm · mate

  1. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. suit — in cards
  3. mate — a friend
  4. can — a tin
  5. scale — size or range
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. can — to be able to
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. track — a song
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. suit — to fit
  14. can — a tin
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. suit — clothes
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. track — a path
  19. mate — a partner
  20. scale — in music
  21. track — to keep track
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. band — a music group
  24. mate — to breed

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