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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.

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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: cap · bass · mark · pass · scale · chip · sharp · swing

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. scale — in music
  3. swing — to play on
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. mark — a trace
  7. chip — for betting
  8. mark — a grade
  9. pass — a permit
  10. swing — music
  11. cap — a lid
  12. cap — a hat
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. bass — low music
  15. bass — the fish
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. chip — to eat
  18. scale — size or range
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. swing — in golf
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. cap — of ice

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