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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: bass · scale · squash · bore · pitch · craft · pop · fall

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. craft — a skill
  3. pop — music
  4. bass — the fish
  5. squash — the sport
  6. bore — to drill
  7. pitch — completely
  8. bore — to tire
  9. squash — to crush
  10. bass — low music
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. fall — to drop
  14. scale — size or range
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. pop — to visit
  17. fall — the season
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. fall — to drop
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. pop — soda
  23. craft — boats
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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