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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. fork — in a road
  3. fall — the season
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. stock — goods
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. fine — all right
  13. branch — a division
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. deal — to handle
  19. fine — high quality
  20. fall — to drop
  21. bass — the fish
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. stock — shares
  24. fall — to drop

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