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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 116 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: club · staff · fine · bass · mate · cold · firm · nail

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. The water is too ________________.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. cold — the Cold War
  3. fine — high quality
  4. firm — a company
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. bass — low music
  7. fine — all right
  8. mate — a friend
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. club — a group
  12. firm — decided
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. mate — a partner
  15. staff — a stick
  16. cold — not warm
  17. club — for dancing
  18. staff — employees
  19. staff — employees
  20. cold — an illness
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. firm — steady
  23. mate — to breed
  24. club — for golf

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