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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 · hand · hide · scale · root · key · kid · band

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. hand — help
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. suit — in cards
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. key — the most important part
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. scale — size or range
  10. kid — child
  11. band — a ring
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. band — a music group
  14. hand — in cards
  15. root — of a word
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. kid — to tease
  18. root — of a plant
  19. scale — in music
  20. root — the cause
  21. suit — to fit
  22. key — in music
  23. key — for a lock
  24. band — a rubber band

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