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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.

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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: pound · hide · rock · scale · wave · season · cabinet · pitcher

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. scale — in music
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. season — of the year
  7. pound — a weight
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. rock — music
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. season — in sport
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. rock — a stone
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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