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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: staff · scale · bass · bowl · pitch · lie · cap · straw

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. bass — the fish
  3. scale — in music
  4. staff — employees
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. lie — to recline
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. cap — a lid
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. cap — a hat
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. cap — of ice
  18. pitch — completely
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. staff — employees
  21. scale — size or range
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. bass — low music
  24. staff — a stick

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