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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  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. spell — letters
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. scale — in music
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. drill — a practice
  6. drill — army training
  7. bass — low music
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. scale — size or range
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. stock — goods
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. stock — shares
  15. swing — in golf
  16. swing — music
  17. swing — to play on
  18. drill — the tool
  19. bark — to shout
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. spell — magic
  22. spell — a short time
  23. bass — the fish
  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