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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. ground — crushed
  3. ground — a position
  4. club — a group
  5. current — happening now
  6. bass — the fish
  7. bound — tied together
  8. scale — size or range
  9. club — for dancing
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. bass — low music
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. club — for golf
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. current — of water
  16. object — an aim
  17. bound — obliged
  18. object — a thing
  19. current — electric
  20. scale — in music
  21. bound — certain
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. ground — the earth

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