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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 · plane · content · fine · season · bass · mug · dip

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. dip — to sink
  3. season — of the year
  4. fine — high quality
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. mug — a face
  7. scale — in music
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. bass — low music
  10. scale — size or range
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. bass — the fish
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. season — in sport
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. mug — a cup
  20. plane — a tool
  21. mug — to rob
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. content — the amount
  24. content — happy

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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