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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 dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. bass — the fish
  3. shower — rain
  4. key — the most important part
  5. key — for a lock
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. shower — to wash
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. scale — size or range
  12. key — in music
  13. stock — shares
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. bass — low music
  18. last — finally
  19. scale — in music
  20. stock — goods
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. last — final
  23. last — to go on
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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