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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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. object — an aim
  4. fine — high quality
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. fine — all right
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. firm — a company
  9. firm — steady
  10. key — for a lock
  11. key — in music
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. object — a thing
  15. firm — decided
  16. bass — the fish
  17. key — the most important part
  18. object — to protest
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. deal — to handle
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. bass — low music
  24. deal — an agreement

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