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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: march · row · bass · trunk · deal · rush · roll · scale

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. bass — the fish
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. scale — size or range
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. march — the month
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. march — the month
  10. scale — in music
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. bass — low music
  14. march — music
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. roll — a list
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. rush — hurry
  21. roll — a cake
  22. deal — to handle
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. row — a line

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