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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 124 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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. bass — low music
  3. bass — the fish
  4. can — a tin
  5. net — in sport
  6. scale — in music
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. capital — money
  9. net — after costs
  10. scale — size or range
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. bear — the animal
  16. net — for catching
  17. can — a tin
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. can — to be able to
  21. capital — a city
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. bear — the animal
  24. nail — for a hammer

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