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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: fine · capital · bass · chest · bay · wave · patient · scale

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. fine — high quality
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. chest — a box
  5. chest — of your body
  6. bass — the fish
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. fine — all right
  10. capital — money
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. scale — size or range
  15. chest — of your body
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. bass — low music
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. capital — a city

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