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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. scale — in music
  4. mark — a grade
  5. bass — low music
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. stock — shares
  9. scale — size or range
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. saw — the tool
  14. mark — a trace
  15. pass — a permit
  16. saw — the tool
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. stock — goods
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. bass — the fish

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