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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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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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. pop — music
  3. pop — soda
  4. spring — a coil
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. bass — the fish
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. stock — goods
  9. spring — of water
  10. stand — to bear
  11. pop — to visit
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. spring — the season
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. bass — low music
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. stock — shares
  18. bowl — a dish

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