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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 124 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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. sharp — clever
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. ground — the earth
  6. object — to protest
  7. object — a thing
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. bass — low music
  10. ground — a position
  11. stock — goods
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. track — a song
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. ground — crushed
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. bass — the fish
  19. track — a path
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. track — to keep track
  22. object — an aim
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. stock — shares

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