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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: scale · file · lash · ball · clip · rock · bass · can

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. file — a line of people
  3. ball — a dance
  4. clip — to cut
  5. file — a document
  6. rock — a stone
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. can — to be able to
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. can — a tin
  14. bass — the fish
  15. ball — a great time
  16. file — a tool
  17. rock — music
  18. can — a tin
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. scale — in music
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. bass — low music
  23. clip — a video
  24. clip — for paper

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