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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: bowl · bass · scale · mark · coach · arm · stick · rush

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. bass — the fish
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. scale — in music
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. scale — size or range
  12. rush — hurry
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. bass — low music
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. mark — a trace
  24. mark — a grade

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