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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: fork · lean · scale · bass · rock · root · lie · bowl

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. root — the cause
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. rock — a stone
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. scale — size or range
  9. root — of a plant
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. bass — low music
  12. lean — to bend
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. lie — to recline
  15. rock — music
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. scale — in music
  18. lean — thin
  19. fork — in a road
  20. root — of a word
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. bass — the fish
  24. lie — an untruth

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