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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: bass · net · scale · foot · fan · ball · rule · firm

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. scale — size or range
  3. net — for catching
  4. foot — a measure
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. firm — decided
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. net — in sport
  9. rule — a law
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. bass — the fish
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. bass — low music
  15. net — after costs
  16. firm — a company
  17. ball — a dance
  18. firm — steady
  19. rule — government
  20. ball — a great time
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. scale — in music
  24. fan — a supporter

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