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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 124 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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. scale — in music
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. staff — employees
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. can — a tin
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. stock — goods
  11. bass — low music
  12. stock — shares
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. vault — a safe
  15. can — a tin
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. bass — the fish
  18. rule — government
  19. fork — in a road
  20. scale — size or range
  21. staff — employees
  22. can — to be able to
  23. staff — a stick
  24. rule — a law

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