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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: squash · scale · pop · bay · bass · wax · mate · bark

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. pop — to visit
  3. squash — the sport
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. mate — to breed
  7. wax — to grow
  8. scale — in music
  9. mate — a friend
  10. pop — music
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. bass — the fish
  13. scale — size or range
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. bass — low music
  16. pop — soda
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. squash — to crush
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. mate — a partner
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. bark — to shout
  24. bass — the instrument

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