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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 · pop · suit · rock · board · fork · stick · bass

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. rock — music
  3. board — to get on
  4. rock — a stone
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. suit — to fit
  7. fork — in a road
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. suit — clothes
  10. bass — the fish
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. pop — soda
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. scale — size or range
  15. scale — in music
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. suit — in cards
  20. pop — music
  21. board — a committee
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. pop — to visit
  24. bass — low 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