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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 120 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 · plane · patient · wind · fan · squash · bass · rock

  1. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. rock — music
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. wind — moving air
  7. scale — size or range
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. scale — in music
  10. wind — moving air
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. squash — to crush
  14. bass — the fish
  15. rock — a stone
  16. squash — the sport
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. bass — low music
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. plane — a tool
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. fan — to cool the air

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