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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.

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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: bass · bat · scale · staff · suit · firm · deal · tube

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. firm — a company
  4. firm — decided
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. staff — a stick
  7. scale — in music
  8. tube — a container
  9. firm — steady
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. suit — in cards
  14. scale — size or range
  15. bat — the animal
  16. staff — employees
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. staff — employees
  19. bass — the fish
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. bass — low music
  22. deal — to handle
  23. suit — to fit
  24. tube — the underground

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