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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: scale · fine · land · game · suit · wave · press · bass

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. game — wild animals
  3. suit — in cards
  4. game — a match
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. bass — low music
  7. scale — size or range
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. suit — clothes
  10. press — newspapers
  11. press — to push
  12. fine — high quality
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. land — a country
  15. bass — the fish
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. scale — in music
  18. land — to come down
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. land — ground
  21. suit — to fit
  22. fine — all right
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. wave — of the sea

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