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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: rush · coach · ball · bay · drill · mine · scale · staff

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. ball — a dance
  3. drill — the tool
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. scale — in music
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. staff — a stick
  9. mine — for digging
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. rush — hurry
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. ball — a great time
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. drill — a practice
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. staff — employees
  19. staff — employees
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. drill — army training
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. ball — a round shape

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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