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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 ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. scale — in music
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. bass — low music
  5. object — to protest
  6. object — an aim
  7. rest — a break
  8. scale — size or range
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. ground — crushed
  12. object — a thing
  13. stock — shares
  14. bass — the fish
  15. stock — goods
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. rest — what's left
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. rest — what's left
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. ground — a position

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