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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. bass — low music
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. mark — a grade
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. rash — a series
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. rest — what's left
  11. object — to protest
  12. rock — a stone
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. rash — hasty
  15. bass — the fish
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. object — a thing
  18. rest — what's left
  19. rock — music
  20. mark — a trace
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. rest — a break
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. nail — for a hammer

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