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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.

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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. plane — a tool
  3. pop — soda
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. pop — music
  8. stock — goods
  9. fine — high quality
  10. pop — to visit
  11. fine — all right
  12. bass — low music
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. bass — the fish
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. deal — to handle
  20. stock — shares
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. plane — in geometry

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