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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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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: wave · cabinet · scale · band · bass · season · mate · craft

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. band — a music group
  5. craft — a skill
  6. scale — in music
  7. scale — size or range
  8. mate — a friend
  9. season — in sport
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. season — of the year
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. band — a ring
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. craft — boats
  20. mate — to breed
  21. bass — low music
  22. mate — a partner
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. wave — with your hand

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