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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: scale · mug · wax · pitcher · hide · ball · press · bass

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. mug — a cup
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. scale — in music
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. press — a publisher
  9. ball — a dance
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. scale — size or range
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. wax — to grow
  15. press — to push
  16. bass — the fish
  17. mug — a face
  18. press — newspapers
  19. bass — low music
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. ball — a great time
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. mug — to rob

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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