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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 ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. bass — low music
  3. object — to protest
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. present — the time now
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. wax — to grow
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. bass — the fish
  10. stock — goods
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. present — there
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. object — an aim
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. object — a thing
  18. prune — to trim
  19. stock — shares
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. present — a gift
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. prune — to trim
  24. stock — a soup base

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