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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
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 · lash · suit · pitch · bass · press · shower · key

  1. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. shower — rain
  3. key — in music
  4. key — the most important part
  5. pitch — completely
  6. press — newspapers
  7. press — a publisher
  8. key — for a lock
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. scale — in music
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. bass — low music
  14. scale — size or range
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. suit — to fit
  17. press — to push
  18. suit — clothes
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. suit — in cards
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. bass — the fish

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