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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: lash · cold · ball · prune · fine · scale · board · roll

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The water is too ________________.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. scale — in music
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. cold — not warm
  6. prune — to trim
  7. board — to get on
  8. roll — a list
  9. cold — an illness
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. ball — a great time
  14. fine — high quality
  15. ball — a dance
  16. prune — to trim
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. board — a committee
  19. cold — the Cold War
  20. fine — all right
  21. scale — size or range
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. roll — a cake

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