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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: key · ruler · bass · stock · last · pop · face · date

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  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. ruler — a monarch
  2. key — in music
  3. key — for a lock
  4. face — part of the head
  5. last — finally
  6. face — to point toward
  7. stock — shares
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. bass — low music
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. bass — the fish
  12. date — the fruit
  13. pop — soda
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. face — to confront
  16. last — to go on
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. pop — music
  20. last — final
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. pop — to visit
  23. stock — goods
  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