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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bass · bank · scale · squash · ball · object · file · pit

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. squash — to crush
  3. object — to protest
  4. ball — a dance
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. bank — for money
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. squash — the sport
  10. ball — a great time
  11. file — a tool
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. bass — the fish
  14. bank — for money
  15. object — a thing
  16. file — a line of people
  17. object — an aim
  18. bass — low music
  19. file — a document
  20. scale — size or range
  21. bank — of a river
  22. pit — in a race
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. pit — a hole

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