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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: craft · kick · perch · bass · fine · key · scale · stock

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. key — in music
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. stock — goods
  5. fine — all right
  6. stock — shares
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. bass — the fish
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. key — for a lock
  11. scale — size or range
  12. craft — a skill
  13. scale — in music
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. perch — the fish
  16. fine — high quality
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. key — the most important part
  19. bass — low music
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. kick — in football
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. scale — for weighing

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