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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. scale — in music
  3. fine — high quality
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. scale — size or range
  6. bound — tied together
  7. bound — certain
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. bass — low music
  10. bound — obliged
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. present — a gift
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. degree — an amount
  16. present — the time now
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. bass — the fish
  20. fine — all right
  21. degree — temperature
  22. degree — from a university
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. racket — for tennis

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