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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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. key — the most important part
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. ground — crushed
  6. ground — the earth
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. object — to protest
  9. rest — what's left
  10. object — an aim
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. key — in music
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. key — for a lock
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. ground — a position
  18. rest — what's left
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. bass — low music
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. object — a thing
  24. rest — a break

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