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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 120 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: pit · scale · arm · nail · board · chip · bass · ruler

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. scale — in music
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. chip — for betting
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. board — a committee
  13. bass — low music
  14. chip — to eat
  15. pit — a hole
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. scale — size or range
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. pit — in a race
  20. board — to get on
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. bass — the fish

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