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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 · chip · pitcher · bark · fork · scale · pass · club

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. chip — for betting
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. bass — the fish
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. chip — to eat
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. scale — in music
  11. club — for golf
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. bark — to shout
  14. bass — low music
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. pass — a permit
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. scale — size or range
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. club — a group
  22. club — for dancing
  23. fork — in a road
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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