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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 120 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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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 · stick · wind · swing · scale · board · nail · bass

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. scale — in music
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. bass — low music
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. swing — in golf
  7. swing — to play on
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. scale — size or range
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. swing — music
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. bass — the fish
  16. wind — moving air
  17. wind — moving air
  18. board — a committee
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. suit — in cards
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. board — to get on
  24. suit — to fit

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