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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: object · rock · pass · squash · scale · ground · band · cabinet

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. pass — a permit
  3. squash — to crush
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. ground — the earth
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. rock — music
  8. ground — a position
  9. object — an aim
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. object — a thing
  12. ground — crushed
  13. scale — size or range
  14. squash — the sport
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. band — a music group
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. object — to protest
  21. rock — a stone
  22. band — a ring
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. scale — for weighing

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