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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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. bass — low music
  4. wake — a trail
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. ball — a great time
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. stock — goods
  9. firm — steady
  10. firm — a company
  11. mate — a friend
  12. firm — decided
  13. stock — shares
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. mate — a partner
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. ball — a dance
  20. mate — to breed
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. bat — the animal
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. wake — before a funeral

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