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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 fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. spell — magic
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. stock — goods
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. season — of the year
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. key — for a lock
  13. key — in music
  14. bass — low music
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. spell — letters
  17. key — the most important part
  18. spell — a short time
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. stock — shares
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. season — in sport
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. safe — out of danger

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