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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: suit · cap · safe · fan · scale · mark · row · mine

  1. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  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. row — a quarrel
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. suit — to fit
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. row — a line
  8. row — to paddle
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. scale — size or range
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. cap — of ice
  13. mine — for digging
  14. mark — a trace
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. mark — a grade
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. scale — in music
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. cap — a hat
  22. suit — clothes
  23. cap — a lid
  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