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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: last · staff · row · fine · scale · bore · bass · kick

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. scale — in music
  3. scale — size or range
  4. staff — employees
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. bass — the fish
  8. bass — low music
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. bore — to drill
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. staff — employees
  13. row — a line
  14. bore — to tire
  15. last — to go on
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. last — finally
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. staff — a stick
  21. row — to paddle
  22. kick — in football
  23. last — final
  24. fine — all right

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