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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. bass — the fish
  5. staff — employees
  6. scale — in music
  7. scale — size or range
  8. last — to go on
  9. last — finally
  10. track — a song
  11. staff — a stick
  12. bass — low music
  13. fork — in a road
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. stock — goods
  16. can — a tin
  17. track — a path
  18. last — final
  19. can — to be able to
  20. staff — employees
  21. stock — shares
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. track — to keep track
  24. can — a tin

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