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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 120 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: bat · squash · bass · scale · bank · band · charge · rush

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. squash — the sport
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. bank — of a river
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. band — a music group
  8. charge — a price
  9. charge — electricity
  10. bat — the animal
  11. bank — for money
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. bank — for money
  14. scale — in music
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. rush — hurry
  17. bass — the fish
  18. squash — to crush
  19. scale — size or range
  20. band — a ring
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. bass — low music
  23. charge — in control
  24. rush — a thrill

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