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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 kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. stock — goods
  5. bass — low music
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. scale — in music
  9. ball — a great time
  10. stem — to come from
  11. scale — size or range
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. bass — the fish
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. stock — shares
  17. ball — a dance
  18. board — to get on
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. kick — in football
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. board — a committee

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