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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
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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: band · charge · pop · scale · bass · spell · coach · pitcher

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. spell — a short time
  3. pop — soda
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. charge — electricity
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. bass — low music
  9. band — a music group
  10. scale — size or range
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. pop — music
  13. charge — a price
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. spell — magic
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. charge — in control
  18. scale — in music
  19. spell — letters
  20. bass — the fish
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. band — a ring
  24. pop — to visit

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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