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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · straw · fine · key · race · mouse · bass · craft

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. key — for a lock
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. race — a contest
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. fine — high quality
  11. stock — goods
  12. key — in music
  13. bass — the fish
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. race — the arms race
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. craft — a skill
  18. stock — shares
  19. fine — all right
  20. bass — low music
  21. craft — boats
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. key — the most important part

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