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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: stock · bass · present · key · staff · safe

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. bass — the fish
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. bass — low music
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. staff — a stick
  7. stock — goods
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. key — for a lock
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. staff — employees
  12. present — the time now
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. present — there
  15. stock — shares
  16. present — a gift
  17. key — the most important part
  18. staff — employees

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