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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.

Make a worksheet

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: bear · board · last · scale · bass · pit · jam · present

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. board — to get on
  6. pit — a hole
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. board — a committee
  11. scale — size or range
  12. last — final
  13. pit — in a race
  14. last — to go on
  15. bear — the animal
  16. present — the time now
  17. bass — the fish
  18. present — there
  19. bass — low music
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. last — finally
  23. present — a gift
  24. bass — the instrument

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