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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 116 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.

Make a worksheet

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: scale · bass · object · mine · stick · pit

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. mine — for digging
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. scale — size or range
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. pit — a hole
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. object — a thing
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. object — to protest
  14. bass — the fish
  15. object — an aim
  16. bass — low music
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. scale — in music

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