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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.

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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: stem · cap · pound · scale · stick · content · key · bass

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. scale — size or range
  4. stem — to come from
  5. scale — in music
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. content — happy
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. cap — of ice
  11. key — in music
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. key — the most important part
  16. cap — a lid
  17. pound — a weight
  18. cap — a hat
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. content — the amount
  21. bass — the fish
  22. key — for a lock
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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