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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 fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. firm — decided
  3. can — a tin
  4. stock — goods
  5. degree — temperature
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. charge — a price
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. object — to protest
  11. charge — in control
  12. bass — low music
  13. can — to be able to
  14. firm — a company
  15. object — a thing
  16. stock — shares
  17. object — an aim
  18. can — a tin
  19. charge — electricity
  20. board — to get on
  21. degree — from a university
  22. board — a committee
  23. firm — steady
  24. degree — an amount

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