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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: bear · nail · mate · bass · scale · firm · bore · spell

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. firm — decided
  3. scale — size or range
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. bass — the fish
  6. mate — to breed
  7. spell — letters
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. bass — low music
  11. spell — magic
  12. bore — to drill
  13. spell — a short time
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. firm — steady
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. scale — in music
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. bore — to tire
  23. firm — a company
  24. mate — a friend

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