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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. scale — in music
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. scale — size or range
  7. present — the time now
  8. bass — low music
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. key — the most important part
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. key — for a lock
  17. bass — the fish
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. pound — a weight
  20. bat — the animal
  21. present — a gift
  22. key — in music
  23. present — there
  24. pound — to hit hard

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