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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: scale · pop · mark · ball · jam · cabinet · fall · pass

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. scale — in music
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. ball — a great time
  6. pop — music
  7. scale — size or range
  8. pass — a permit
  9. ball — a dance
  10. fall — to drop
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. pop — to visit
  17. fall — to drop
  18. pop — soda
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. mark — a trace
  21. mark — a grade
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. ball — a round shape

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