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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. key — the most important part
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. track — a path
  7. band — a ring
  8. track — to keep track
  9. mate — to breed
  10. key — in music
  11. bass — low music
  12. bass — the fish
  13. march — the month
  14. track — a song
  15. band — a music group
  16. stock — goods
  17. march — music
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. key — for a lock
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. march — the month
  22. mate — a friend
  23. mate — a partner
  24. stock — shares

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