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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

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

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. stock — goods
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. march — the month
  6. stock — shares
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. bass — low music
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. object — a thing
  11. march — the month
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. lie — to recline
  14. bass — the fish
  15. object — an aim
  16. march — music
  17. object — to protest
  18. lie — an untruth

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