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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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. bass — the fish
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. track — a song
  6. scale — in music
  7. club — for golf
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. track — a path
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. cell — in biology
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. cell — a phone
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. pop — to visit
  16. club — a group
  17. scale — size or range
  18. track — to keep track
  19. pop — music
  20. club — for dancing
  21. bass — low music
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. pop — soda
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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