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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 120 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: chest · mouse · scale · bass · bear · band · leaves · ball

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. scale — size or range
  4. ball — a great time
  5. chest — of your body
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. bass — the fish
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. bass — low music
  10. chest — a box
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. band — a ring
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. bear — the animal
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. band — a music group
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. chest — of your body
  22. scale — in music
  23. ball — a dance
  24. bear — to put up with

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