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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. scale — size or range
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. club — a group
  5. bass — low music
  6. bank — for money
  7. object — to protest
  8. ball — a great time
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. ball — a dance
  12. scale — in music
  13. bank — of a river
  14. club — for dancing
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. bass — the fish
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. object — a thing
  19. object — an aim
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. club — for golf
  24. bank — for money

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