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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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. bass — the fish
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. staff — employees
  6. charge — a price
  7. charge — electricity
  8. cap — a hat
  9. cap — of ice
  10. fine — high quality
  11. fine — all right
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. staff — employees
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. charge — in control
  16. stock — goods
  17. bass — low music
  18. stock — shares
  19. cap — a lid
  20. last — final
  21. staff — a stick
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. last — finally
  24. fine — a penalty

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