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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.

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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: race · spell · swing · bank · firm · scale · ball · bass

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. spell — a short time
  3. bank — for money
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. race — humankind
  6. firm — steady
  7. firm — a company
  8. bass — the fish
  9. bass — low music
  10. ball — a great time
  11. scale — size or range
  12. scale — in music
  13. swing — music
  14. swing — in golf
  15. bank — for money
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. ball — a dance
  18. firm — decided
  19. race — the arms race
  20. spell — magic
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. bank — of a river
  23. race — a contest
  24. spell — letters

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