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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 116 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: scale · dip · bear · cold · fine · ball · tube · pass

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The water is too ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. bear — the animal
  3. dip — to sink
  4. cold — the Cold War
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. cold — not warm
  7. tube — a container
  8. bear — the animal
  9. scale — in music
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. ball — a great time
  12. fine — all right
  13. fine — high quality
  14. scale — size or range
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. cold — an illness
  21. tube — the underground
  22. pass — a permit
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. ball — a dance

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