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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.

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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: deal · rash · ball · rush · scale · spring · pitcher · dip

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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. dip — to dunk
  4. scale — in music
  5. rash — hasty
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. deal — to handle
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. spring — a coil
  13. rash — a series
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. spring — the season
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. ball — a dance
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. rush — hurry
  20. ball — a great time
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. dip — to sink
  23. spring — of water
  24. dip — a sauce

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