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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: bass · court · rush · dip · spell · jam · scale · arm

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. spell — a short time
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. court — for sport
  5. court — of a king
  6. court — of law
  7. dip — to sink
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. bass — low music
  13. scale — in music
  14. bass — the fish
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. spell — magic
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. scale — size or range
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. rush — hurry
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. spell — letters

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