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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: suit · bear · land · craft · straw · mate · key · scale

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. mate — to breed
  3. bear — the animal
  4. mate — a friend
  5. key — in music
  6. scale — in music
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. suit — in cards
  9. craft — boats
  10. craft — a skill
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. land — to come down
  15. mate — a partner
  16. scale — size or range
  17. land — a country
  18. key — for a lock
  19. land — ground
  20. key — the most important part
  21. bear — the animal
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. suit — clothes
  24. suit — to fit

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