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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.

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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: band · fan · wave · bowl · ruler · scale · wound · swing

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. swing — music
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. band — a music group
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. wound — an injury
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. band — a ring
  12. wound — an injury
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. swing — to play on
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. swing — in golf
  19. scale — size or range
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. bowl — a dish

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