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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.

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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: fine · dip · stand · bass · mouse · season · temple · scale

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  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. mouse — the animal
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. bass — low music
  4. scale — size or range
  5. fine — all right
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. season — in sport
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. fine — high quality
  13. stand — to bear
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. bass — the fish
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. dip — to sink
  21. season — of the year
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. stand — on your feet
  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