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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: scale · calf · charge · bay · stand · date · bass · spring

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. bass — the fish
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. spring — the season
  8. charge — a price
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. charge — in control
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. spring — a coil
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. charge — electricity
  17. scale — in music
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. spring — of water
  22. bass — low music
  23. stand — to bear
  24. date — the fruit

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