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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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. wound — an injury
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. fine — all right
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. charge — in control
  9. key — in music
  10. net — in sport
  11. key — for a lock
  12. rock — music
  13. net — for catching
  14. bass — the fish
  15. bass — low music
  16. charge — a price
  17. rock — a stone
  18. charge — electricity
  19. wound — an injury
  20. net — after costs
  21. fine — high quality
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. key — the most important part
  24. fine — a penalty

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