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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: fine · scale · suit · fork · track · bass · lean · file

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. bass — the fish
  3. fine — high quality
  4. file — a tool
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. suit — in cards
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. fine — all right
  9. track — to keep track
  10. file — a line of people
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. fork — in a road
  13. file — a document
  14. bass — low music
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. lean — to bend
  17. track — a song
  18. scale — size or range
  19. track — a path
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. suit — to fit
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. lean — thin
  24. suit — clothes

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