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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 120 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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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. saw — the tool
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. key — the most important part
  5. firm — a company
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. stock — goods
  8. key — in music
  9. net — for catching
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. firm — steady
  15. firm — decided
  16. bass — low music
  17. net — in sport
  18. net — after costs
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. key — for a lock
  21. stock — shares
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. bass — the fish
  24. saw — the tool

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