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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · fan · clip · key · can · scale · firm · pass

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. can — to be able to
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. scale — in music
  6. firm — steady
  7. key — in music
  8. key — for a lock
  9. can — a tin
  10. bass — low music
  11. firm — decided
  12. bass — the fish
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. can — a tin
  15. pass — a permit
  16. clip — to cut
  17. scale — size or range
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. clip — a video
  20. clip — for paper
  21. firm — a company
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. key — the most important part
  24. pass — to spend time

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