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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 116 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: lean · bat · hide · season · scale · ruler · stick · bass

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. lean — to bend
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. season — in sport
  11. bass — the fish
  12. lean — thin
  13. season — of the year
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. bat — the animal
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. bass — low music
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. scale — size or range
  24. scale — in music

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