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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.

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: suit · key · ground · bass · clip · drill · fan · scale

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. drill — the tool
  3. clip — to cut
  4. clip — for paper
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. suit — in cards
  7. drill — army training
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. key — in music
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. ground — the earth
  13. key — the most important part
  14. ground — crushed
  15. drill — a practice
  16. clip — a video
  17. ground — a position
  18. suit — clothes
  19. bass — low music
  20. suit — to fit
  21. scale — in music
  22. scale — size or range
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. key — for a lock

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