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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. rock — music
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. swing — in golf
  6. mark — a grade
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. stock — shares
  9. pass — a permit
  10. swing — to play on
  11. swing — music
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. mark — a trace
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. pitch — completely
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. bass — the fish
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. rock — a stone
  22. plane — a tool
  23. stock — goods
  24. mark — to pay attention

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