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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. stock — shares
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. dip — to sink
  6. foot — a measure
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. stock — goods
  11. track — a song
  12. stem — to come from
  13. track — a path
  14. bass — the fish
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. bass — low music
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. track — to keep track

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