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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: fine · squash · scale · pass · court · cap · rush · bore

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. bore — to drill
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. cap — of ice
  6. rush — hurry
  7. court — of a king
  8. pass — a permit
  9. scale — size or range
  10. fine — high quality
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. squash — to crush
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. cap — a hat
  16. scale — in music
  17. court — of law
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. fine — all right
  20. court — for sport
  21. squash — the sport
  22. cap — a lid
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. bore — to tire

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