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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: kid · charge · pass · scale · bass · cue · pit · bowl

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. bass — low music
  3. charge — electricity
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. cue — a signal
  6. kid — to tease
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. pit — a hole
  9. charge — in control
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. scale — size or range
  12. pit — in a race
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. charge — a price
  17. cue — a hint
  18. kid — child
  19. pass — a permit
  20. scale — in music
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. bass — the fish
  23. cue — for pool
  24. bowl — a dish

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