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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: game · scale · wave · cue · safe · bass · wind · roll

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. wind — moving air
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. bass — the fish
  6. scale — in music
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. game — a match
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. cue — a signal
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. cue — for pool
  18. scale — size or range
  19. wind — moving air
  20. bass — low music
  21. roll — a list
  22. cue — a hint
  23. game — wild animals
  24. roll — a cake

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