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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 · bulb · mate · mouse · deal · wound · chip · bass

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. scale — in music
  5. chip — for betting
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. wound — an injury
  8. bass — low music
  9. bulb — for light
  10. chip — to eat
  11. mate — to breed
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. mate — a friend
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. wound — an injury
  16. mate — a partner
  17. bass — the fish
  18. bulb — for light
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. deal — to handle
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. scale — size or range
  24. mouse — for a computer

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