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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. charge — in control
  3. scale — in music
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. suit — in cards
  8. key — for a lock
  9. last — to go on
  10. last — finally
  11. last — final
  12. rock — a stone
  13. key — in music
  14. suit — to fit
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. suit — clothes
  17. key — the most important part
  18. mark — a grade
  19. charge — electricity
  20. mark — a trace
  21. charge — a price
  22. scale — size or range
  23. rock — music
  24. bass — the fish

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