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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 116 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: scale · safe · bank · field · bass · march · ball · pit

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bank — for money
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. pit — in a race
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. field — a subject
  8. ball — a dance
  9. scale — size or range
  10. bass — low music
  11. scale — in music
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. ball — a great time
  14. field — for sport
  15. pit — a hole
  16. bass — the fish
  17. march — the month
  18. march — music
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. field — farmland
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. march — the month
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. bank — of a river

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