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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.

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: scale · present · ball · degree · squash · spell · bass · dip

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. dip — to sink
  3. present — the time now
  4. spell — letters
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. spell — a short time
  7. present — a gift
  8. squash — the sport
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. scale — size or range
  11. squash — to crush
  12. bass — low music
  13. ball — a great time
  14. degree — temperature
  15. spell — magic
  16. degree — an amount
  17. scale — in music
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. present — there
  20. bass — the fish
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. degree — from a university

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