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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: tube · game · scale · ball · suit · pound · arm · bass

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. tube — a container
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. scale — in music
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. scale — size or range
  9. suit — in cards
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. suit — to fit
  13. ball — a dance
  14. pound — a weight
  15. game — a match
  16. suit — clothes
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. ball — a great time
  20. bass — low music
  21. bass — the fish
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. tube — the underground

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