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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
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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 · date · ball · saw · pass · hide · pound · spell

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. pass — a permit
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. date — the fruit
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. spell — letters
  8. spell — magic
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. ball — a dance
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. scale — in music
  16. scale — size or range
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. spell — a short time
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. ball — a great time
  21. saw — the tool
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. saw — the tool
  24. scale — for weighing

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