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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: rock · scale · rush · bass · kick · object · cue · wind

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. rock — a stone
  4. kick — in football
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. object — a thing
  7. cue — a hint
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. object — an aim
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. object — to protest
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. scale — size or range
  16. cue — for pool
  17. bass — low music
  18. rush — hurry
  19. wind — moving air
  20. cue — a signal
  21. wind — moving air
  22. rock — music
  23. scale — in music
  24. wind — to turn a key

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