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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 116 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: chip · scale · drill · wind · bass · lean · track · fan

  1. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. drill — the tool
  3. bass — the fish
  4. wind — moving air
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. track — a path
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. lean — thin
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. drill — army training
  12. track — a song
  13. scale — size or range
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. scale — in music
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. chip — to eat
  19. drill — a practice
  20. lean — to bend
  21. chip — for betting
  22. track — to keep track
  23. bass — low music
  24. fan — a supporter

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