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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: wake · shower · rule · scale · firm · ground · bass · board

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. scale — size or range
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. shower — to wash
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. ground — the earth
  9. bass — the fish
  10. scale — in music
  11. ground — a position
  12. board — to get on
  13. firm — a company
  14. ground — crushed
  15. firm — steady
  16. firm — decided
  17. shower — rain
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. wake — a trail
  21. board — a committee
  22. rule — a law
  23. rule — government
  24. bass — low 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