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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. key — in music
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. bass — low music
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. bass — the fish
  8. wind — moving air
  9. cell — a phone
  10. wind — moving air
  11. object — an aim
  12. firm — a company
  13. pop — music
  14. object — to protest
  15. key — the most important part
  16. cell — in biology
  17. firm — decided
  18. pop — to visit
  19. key — for a lock
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. pop — soda
  24. firm — steady

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