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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: racket · bore · net · cue · scale · cap · wound · bass

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. cue — for pool
  3. cap — a lid
  4. cue — a signal
  5. cap — of ice
  6. bore — to tire
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. cue — a hint
  9. wound — an injury
  10. bore — to drill
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. wound — an injury
  15. bass — the fish
  16. net — after costs
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. net — in sport
  20. net — for catching
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. cap — a hat
  23. bass — low music
  24. scale — size or range

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