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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.

Make a worksheet

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 · bowl · wave · present · bear · scale · content · spell

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. scale — size or range
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. spell — magic
  6. scale — in music
  7. bass — the fish
  8. present — the time now
  9. present — there
  10. bear — the animal
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. present — a gift
  14. bass — low music
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. content — the amount
  20. bear — the animal
  21. spell — letters
  22. spell — a short time
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. content — happy

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