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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.

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: bass · chest · scale · can · prune · cue · pit · bank

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. can — a tin
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. prune — to trim
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. bass — the fish
  7. cue — for pool
  8. bank — for money
  9. pit — in a race
  10. cue — a hint
  11. bank — of a river
  12. pit — a hole
  13. bank — for money
  14. chest — of your body
  15. scale — in music
  16. can — a tin
  17. chest — a box
  18. chest — of your body
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. can — to be able to
  21. prune — to trim
  22. cue — a signal
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. bass — low music

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