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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: wind · board · scale · bass · cue · hide · bowl · rock

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. cue — a signal
  3. wind — moving air
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. scale — size or range
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. board — a committee
  10. scale — in music
  11. bass — low music
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. board — to get on
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. wind — moving air
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. rock — music
  19. cue — for pool
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. bass — the fish
  22. cue — a hint
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. rock — a stone

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