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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. firm — a company
  3. field — a subject
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. bass — the fish
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. stock — goods
  11. bass — low music
  12. saw — the tool
  13. firm — steady
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. field — farmland
  16. stock — shares
  17. branch — a division
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. field — for sport
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. firm — decided
  22. saw — the tool
  23. tube — the underground
  24. tube — a container

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