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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.

Make a worksheet

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: bay · scale · patient · content · plane · spell · racket · bass

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. scale — in music
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. plane — a tool
  5. content — the amount
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. spell — letters
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. bass — the fish
  16. spell — magic
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. content — happy
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. scale — size or range
  23. spell — a short time
  24. scale — for weighing

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