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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.

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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: ball · scale · bore · rush · bass · stick · pop · date

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. scale — in music
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. bore — to drill
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. ball — a great time
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. bass — low music
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. pop — soda
  13. rush — hurry
  14. date — the fruit
  15. scale — size or range
  16. pop — to visit
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. pop — music
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. ball — a dance
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. bore — to tire
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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