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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. mate — a partner
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. bass — low music
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. deal — to handle
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. pass — a permit
  12. object — to protest
  13. perch — the fish
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. bass — the fish
  16. object — an aim
  17. mate — a friend
  18. stem — to come from
  19. scale — in music
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. scale — size or range
  24. mate — to breed

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